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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23984938">Dear Fellow Traveller</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisslol/pseuds/littlemisslol'>littlemisslol</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Adira and Hector have mad chaotic sibling energy, Angst, Betrayal, Brotherhood squad 4 lyfe, Kiiiiinda bad parent Quirin, M/M, Moonstone!Varian, Romance, Slow Burn, Varigo - Freeform, Very AU, You guys ready for an angsty roadtrip?, also fun fact I didn't know americans spelt traveller with only one L, and they're on the roadtrip from hell, but SO MUCH WORSE for our faves, it's moonstone varian with varigo, like he's doing his best but it's NOT working, literally no one wanted this except for me, oh yeah we're going there, this is going to a sort-of-parallel to tangled, y'all better be because I spent too long making it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:00:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>91,884</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23984938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisslol/pseuds/littlemisslol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Quirin, in a last ditch attempt to save his newborn son, stole the Moonstone and used its power for his own gain. Little Varian, now the host to the Moonstone, was hidden away from the world with his father, auntie, and uncle. Now freshly eighteen, Varian begins to feel the call of the outside world, beckoning him out of the safety of home and into the great unknown. </p><p>Now if only his newfound travel companion, an infuriatingly street smart blond named Hugo, would just quit sassing him for twenty seconds, we'd be golden.</p><p>Varigo stans come get y'all juice!!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adira &amp; Varian (Disney), Hector &amp; Varian (Disney: Tangled), Hugo/Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms), Quirin &amp; Varian (Disney)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>202</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>701</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue: Under the Moon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The best day of Quirin’s life was also the worst. Ulla had been withering away for months. The pregnancy had already weakened her, both physically and mentally, chipping away at her health with an unending hunger that slowly consumed her. Yet she persevered; Ulla demanded that they see this pregnancy through to the end. This was the one that had lasted the longest, after all. If this baby was lost Ulla would surely follow them.</p><p> </p><p>Quirin had begged for her to give up, to just <em> let it go </em>, they didn’t need children if it was at the cost of her life, it wasn’t worth it. Ulla continued on, though, ignoring all the advice from the doctors, not to mention Quirin’s frantic pleading. Ulla was stubborn like that; once she’d set her mind to something she would dig her heels in until she saw it through. Quirin could only watch as his wife withered like a flower with no sun, shrinking into nothing but brittle bones and paper thin skin. The illness had sucked her dry, leaving Ulla a shriveled, corpse-like shell of her former self.</p><p> </p><p>By the end she couldn’t even walk under her own power. </p><p> </p><p>Quirin had held her hand as she screamed in agony. The birth was full of problems as Ulla’s body rejected the process. She’d cried to the heavens above, screaming in anguish as her body finally gave up on her and their son was born. The baby was quiet even in the chaos of his arrival into the world. The doctors looked grim when the usual screaming hadn’t started, but they’d still found a heartbeat when they checked for one. The baby was alive, even if barely. </p><p> </p><p>Ulla had collapsed not even a minute later, passing into the great beyond as a flurry of healers scattered around the room in a frenzy. Doctors and nurses grabbed for tools and potions that Quirin had no name for; the man could feel a strange numbness claw its way into his heart at the sight of his wife falling limp like a doll, her amber hair surrounding her head like a halo. </p><p> </p><p>She was beautiful, even in death. </p><p> </p><p>Quirin looked on in shock as one healer quickly wrapped the silent infant in a blue blanket, borderline shoving the baby into his slack arms. He was forced to focus at the slight weight in his grip. Quirin could see the tiniest fluff of black hair poking out from under the swaddling.  </p><p> </p><p>“Hold him,” The nurse ordered, “Take him outside, we need the space.” </p><p> </p><p>And numbly, Quirin had. </p><p> </p><p>He had a son. A little boy, half of Ulla and half of himself. To Quirin he was already perfect.</p><p> </p><p>The baby hadn’t squaled in misery as babies do upon being thrust into the world, so Quirin had cried for him instead. The man was no doctor, but knew that a quiet baby, especially one so new to the world, wasn’t a good sign. There he stood, a mountain of a man, slumped into the wall with a deathly silent infant clutched close to his body. Quirin’s whole world had been flipped upside down and stolen from him in one fell swoop. He looked down at the little thing in his arms, the baby weakly flailing his little arms in protest. He was still covered in Ulla’s blood, the ruby red of it staining the boy’s pale skin.</p><p> </p><p>His son was here at last, fresh unto the world, and Quirin couldn’t even find it within himself to be happy about it.</p><p> </p><p>Something, probably a pessimism born from one too many days on a battlefield, told him that Ulla would never meet their son, and that Quirin himself was now a widow. The man took a deep breath, clutching his little bundle closer to him as the man tried to use the corner of the blue blanket to clean the baby of his mother’s blood. </p><p> </p><p>The agony in Quirin’s heart grew, a sharp pin right through the heart.</p><p> </p><p>The man let out the pained breath, and began to rock the baby. The worst of the blood had been wiped away, revealing pale skin and a smattering of what would definitely become freckles on the little one’s face. The boy in his arms wasn’t to blame for this; Ulla had insisted they move forwards, after all. The infant began to settle at the motion, his silence echoing in the abandoned hall. Quirin watched with fascination as the boy opened his eyes, the same blue that all infants had. He idly wondered if they’d remain blue, like Ulla’s, or if they’d darken into his own brown. </p><p> </p><p>Quirin didn’t know which he would prefer.</p><p> </p><p>“Quirin?” A quiet voice said to his left, and the man looked up to see his sister looking at him with questions in her eyes. Adira had been waiting outside, he remembered numbly, with Hector and Edmund. The three of them had been waiting hours to meet the little one.</p><p> </p><p>“Adira,” Quirin said, “You have a nephew.” </p><p> </p><p>Her eyes lit up as she extended a hand to Quirin’s son with caution. The baby let out a small grunt, grabbing hold with a weak grasp. She chuckled as he began to shake her finger, the digit wiggling in the boy’s tiny hand. Quirin couldn’t help but let out a small huff of amusement as Adira cooed over the little mound of blankets in his arms. </p><p> </p><p>“He has your nose,” She said with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Oh, he did, didn’t he?</p><p> </p><p>The baby let out another little coo, drifting off to sleep in his father’s arms. Quirin began to gently rock his son once more, bouncing him to lull him to sleep. Once the boy was truly asleep, Quirin passed the little one to Adira. She fumbled for a second, unsure in how to hold him properly. She adapted quickly to the boy’s slight weight; the little one was dead asleep in his new aunt’s arms.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you watch him?” Quirin asked, “I have to go check on Ulla.” </p><p> </p><p>Adira’s eyes were sad. “Of course,” She said. She gently adjusted the little one in her grip, holding him a little more firmly and bouncing the bundle in her arms. “He needs to meet his uncles, doesn’t he? Don’t you, darling?” The last bit was said to the sleeping baby, who merely snuffled in response.  </p><p> </p><p>Hector and Edmund would be ecstatic, of course. Edmund himself had been more excited for the baby than Quirin had, somedays. After sending Prince Horace away for the boy’s safety, Quirin knew that Edmund missed hearing the noises of children in the castle of the Dark Kingdom. The castle had been abandoned years before, a shell of its former shelf surrounded in the Moonstone’s horrible spires; a ghost of stone and metal haunted by the last few remnants of the Kingdom’s people.</p><p> </p><p>It was just them left, now. The Brotherhood, the King, and Ulla.  </p><p> </p><p>Though, when a despondent nurse finally left Ulla’s room, Quirin knew that wasn’t quite true anymore. </p><p> </p><p>Quirin’s life both ended and began that night in the castle. Ulla had been ripped from him after delivering her greatest gift. Their son, small and fragile, yet so strong to have made it this far at all; he was the greatest thing Quirin had ever been blessed with in his life. Something in him was alight with joy, but Quirin knew that underneath that there was nothing but inescapable <em> loss </em>. </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>The baby wasn’t healthy in the slightest. After his first weak cries he’d gone deathly silent, and it scared Quirin more than anything had before. The nurses didn’t look hopeful about the little one’s survival; one tactless doctor had told Quirin to wait a week before naming the baby, <em> just to be sure </em>.</p><p> </p><p>It broke Quirin’s heart, his soul, his will, to hear such a thing about the boy he already loved so much. As much as it hurt, though, he elected to follow the doctor’s advice.</p><p> </p><p>It <em> hurt </em>, but he did it </p><p> </p><p>Ulla had given everything to breathe life into the little body currently sleeping in the bassinet before Quirin, and it <em> still </em> might have been for nothing. </p><p> </p><p>His wife’s death could have been in vain, arguably for <em> nothing </em>.</p><p> </p><p>Quirin didn’t leave the nameless baby’s side for the better part of a week, watching as the boy’s breaths became more laboured, and as his little heartbeats became more of a battle every day. Something in Quirin’s heart was shattered, knowing that if the fates had their way he’ll be burying the little one next to Ulla before long. </p><p> </p><p>He knew death was a fact, that not all babies were born healthy. Quirin <em> knew </em> this, but it was still agonizing to watch his child struggle through taking breath. It was foolish to try and defy the fates, but Quirin had the feeling that praying to every deity he knew just wasn’t going to cut it this time. </p><p> </p><p>Quirin reached a hand out to the child, gently stroking the baby’s soft cheek. The little one let out a weak coo, snuggling into the contact. Quirin let a few tears slip down his face, gasping for breath over the little cot he’d lovingly made himself the minute Ulla had announced their pregnancy. </p><p> </p><p>The man knew he wouldn’t be able to continue, if he lost his son along with his wife. </p><p> </p><p>It was for that reason that something inside of him snapped, igniting a determination Quirin hadn’t known he’d had within him.</p><p> </p><p>He might not be able to fight death itself, but he could still do his best to deny it its prize.</p><p> </p><p>Before he could really think of the repercussions, Quirin was scooping up his fading son and stalking down the halls of the castle. His footsteps were loud in the abandoned hallways. The soft noise still echoing off the ancient walls. The black stone of the castle blurred together, and before he knew it Quirin stood before the doors to the Moonstone’s chamber. His son was a feather’s weight in Quirin’s arms, quiet and growing weaker by the minute. </p><p> </p><p>Something, probably his sense of duty, was telling him to stop. </p><p> </p><p>A larger, newer, paternal part was screaming at him to <em> do it </em>.</p><p> </p><p>And so he did.</p><p> </p><p>Without any more hesitation, Quirin pushed the door open with one arm, and vanished into the dark room beyond. </p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone was as beautiful as ever, encased as it was within the black rocks. The pathway through the large chamber was a single straight line leading to the Moonstone’s prison, an intricate orb of onyx and obsidian. The room seemed abuzz with energy, a soft pulse of force that made the air <em> taste </em> of power. The Moonstone’s soft blue light washed over Quirin, bathing the entire chamber in the colour of the ocean waves. Quirin took a hesitant step forward, then another. His arm tightened around the frail body of his son, but as he reached the prison of the Moonstone he paused.</p><p> </p><p>Was this really right? Quirin knew that King Frederick of Corona had tried something similar with his own child and the Sundrop, and it had ended with heartbreak. What would Quirin do if his own son was hunted as the lost princess was? What if his child couldn’t handle the power of the Moonstone and it tore his tiny body apart?</p><p> </p><p>Quirin looked down at his son, at Ulla’s last gift to him, and saw that the baby was awake. The child’s blue eyes stared back at him in a daze, weak and tired. </p><p> </p><p><em> Ulla’s </em> eyes stared back at him.</p><p> </p><p>If there was anything Quirin could do to try and ensure his son’s survival, he would do it without question.</p><p> </p><p>With that final thought, he reached out to the Moonstone with a gloved hand. The Moonstone pulsed as he got close, the blue glow of it getting brighter. Quirin’s hand was held up under the stone, palm up. When he got close the stone seemed to follow, hovering directly over his gloved palm and following as Quirin drew it out of the orb of stone. He let out a breathless gasp, looking down at it. </p><p> </p><p>It really was beautiful. </p><p> </p><p>The man slowly drew the Moonstone close, guiding it out of its prison and out towards the boy in his arms. There was a brief second where nothing happened, but slowly and surely the stone began to disintegrate; small, glowing flakes settling on the baby and bathing the child in an ethereal glow. The baby let out a small noise as the flakes sank into his skin, his tiny eyes widening as the power began to course through him. Quirin watched with a morbid fascination as the glow lit up the baby’s eyes and hair, the tiny, glowing locks floating as if underwater. The light was nearly blinding, illuminating the cavern even as the Moonstone disappeared into the body of his son.</p><p> </p><p>It would have been beautiful, if it weren’t so damning.</p><p> </p><p>Finally the glow settled down, the light fading out as the infant’s eyes went back to their usual colour. The boy’s hair went back to being black, settling back into the embrace of gravity. With a startle, Quirin noticed that there was now a single strip of hair that was a dulled blue, the colour standing out against the rest of the boy’s raven hair.</p><p> </p><p>The baby’s electric blue eyes focused on his father, more aware than they had been all week.</p><p> </p><p>Then, gloriously, the infant opened his mouth and began to <em> wail </em>.</p><p> </p><p>It was the most beautiful sound Quirin had ever heard. </p><p> </p><p>Something in Quirin felt terrible about it, the harnessing of an ancient god-power for the sake of his son, but one look at the boy’s scrunched up little face and any doubts vanished immediately. The baby’s tears dribbled to a stop at the sight of his father, the boy still huffing occasionally with stronger lungs. </p><p> </p><p>The castle had rumbled with energy when the Moonstone had found its new host, and Quirin knew then that there was obviously no way to keep this hidden. He could hear a pair of hurried footsteps in the quiet of the abandoned castle, and he knew that hell had come for him. </p><p> </p><p>With a great battle cry he heard Hector and Adira burst through the doors behind him, the two of them stopping short when they saw it was only Quirin in the chamber, the Moonstone long gone.</p><p> </p><p>“What did you <em> do </em>?!” Hector shouted into the room, looking with shock at the empty place where the Moonstone had been. Quirin doesn’t look at him, too transfixed with his son’s little face. The boy had finally gained some colour, his skin a healthy pink at long last.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, Quirin.” Adira gasped. “What have you done?” </p><p> </p><p>It’s less a question, and more of a disappointed statement.  </p><p> </p><p>Edmund arrived next, and was considerably less neutral. </p><p> </p><p>“You <em> traitor!” </em> He’d yelled, “You’ve damned us all! Didn’t you think of the consequences in the slightest? Did your oath mean <em> nothing </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>Quirin merely stood to his full height, taller than Edmund, and glared down at the man he once called his king. Edmund was not a stupid man, as friendly as they were, and he knew that if it came to blows Quirin would be the one walking away at the end of it. The king backed down marginally, but the rage kept boiling within.</p><p> </p><p>“I know exactly what I did,” Quirin said with venom, “And I would do it again, a hundred times over. It was for my <em> son </em>, Edmund” </p><p> </p><p>“You’re a fool.” Edmund spat back, “You’ve broken your oath to this kingdom, to <em> me </em>. We all had to make sacrifices, Quirin, you think you deserve to be any different?”</p><p> </p><p>Quirin was silent at that. He knew <em> exactly </em> how much Edmund had given up in their drive to protect the Moonstone. The king scoffed at his silence, shaking his head with an angry dismay.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll leave this castle by noon tomorrow. If I see you again it will be your head.” </p><p> </p><p>Quirin knew that it was a testament to their broken friendship that Edmund didn’t call for his execution, and a surge of gratefulness pulsed through him. The king left with a flare of his cape, stalking from the room. Quirin merely brought a hand up to his son, the boy latching onto his father’s finger with a coo. </p><p> </p><p>And Quirin knew then, with certainty, that he’d cheated death of it’s prize for now. His son would live to see tomorrow, and the day after, and many more days after that. The child had become a host for the Moonstone, as evident by his hair, but it was enough to keep him alive. </p><p> </p><p>But he <em> would </em> live, and to Quirin that was the most important thing in the world.</p><p> </p><p>The little one, now with much more colour in his skin, was making babbling noises as he squirmed in his blanket. The tiny chest that had been struggling so hard previously took breath after breath with no trouble at all, and the baby certainly seemed much more active. The infant looked up to his father, letting out a happy squeal to see Quirin looking down at him. Tiny hands raised up towards Quirin’s face. The man let out a little chuckle, bringing his face close so the baby could touch with tiny <em> paps </em> of his hands. </p><p> </p><p>Ulla’s last gift had been preserved, thank every god in the sky. Quirin could feel tears begin to burn at the back of his eyes, and he sniffled rather pathetically as the baby tried to tug on his nose.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian.” Quirin finally choked out through a well of tears. Adira and Hector looked at him with surprise, then down to the chatty baby in his arms.</p><p> </p><p>Quirin only had eyes for the babbling baby, fully crying in relief. His shoulders hitched with sobs, a relieved joy sparking deep in his heart and <em> finally </em> cutting through the dark loss. </p><p> </p><p>“His name’s Varian.”  </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Quirin groaned as he loaded the last of Ulla’s things into his cart with a <em> thump </em>. Varian, bless him, was already fast asleep in a basket in the passenger seat. It had only been about twelve hours since Quirin had effectively stolen the Moonstone, but it already felt like a millenia. Hector and Adira had helped him to pack the meager things that he’d wanted to keep, along with supplies for the short journey ahead.</p><p> </p><p>They were leaving the castle today, once dawn fully broke. The cart groaned under the weight, but Quirin knew it would make it; they would go to Quirin’s childhood home, a farm left abandoned by his own parents when the black rocks hit. It was secluded and quiet, the perfect place to hide Varian away from prying eyes. Quirin knew that Varian still had the Moonstone’s powers, even buried as deep as it was. The blue hair streak was enough to prove it.</p><p> </p><p>The boy would never be safe out in the normal world, the only way to keep him away from those who would do him harm was to isolate themselves. The pair of them needed to go as underground as they could, with minimal contact with the outside word.</p><p> </p><p>For Varian, Quirin would do it without question. </p><p> </p><p>The courtyard around them was quiet, save for the occasional raven’s caw that echoed around the stone walls. Edmund was watching him closely, then. The yard had been one of the first things to start to decay after the evacuation, grass and even the occasional bush starting to climb up through the cobblestones with no one around to fight them back. Out on the horizon the sun began to peak up over the trees, and Quirin knew it was time to go. </p><p> </p><p>Hopping up into the cart next to his son, Quirin took the reins of the horse pulling the cart and made to get moving, but was stopped by a pair of voices from behind.</p><p> </p><p>“Quirin!” Two voices shouted, ones Quirin knew well. </p><p> </p><p>Adira and Hector pulled up beside him, Adira on a horse and Hector on his rhino. The pair of them smiled at him, throwing two bags of their own into his cart. They landed with a quiet <em> thump </em>, settling in amongst the rest of the packs as if they belonged there. The cart rocked threateningly at the extra weight, but held firm. </p><p> </p><p>“Did you think you could just leave us behind?” Hector griped as his rhino began to eat a piece of grass from between the cobblestones. </p><p> </p><p>“Really, Quirin?” Adira said, “As if you could survive parenthood by yourself. If anything we’re following you for hairstripe’s wellbeing.” </p><p> </p><p>Quirin was shocked, looking back towards the castle they’d run from. “You don’t have to-”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, yes we do.” Adira cut him off. “We’re charged with protecting the Moonstone, in <em> all </em> its forms.”</p><p> </p><p>“Besides,” Hector grinned, “I already called teaching the kid to fight, and I’ll be damned if I miss it.” </p><p> </p><p>“No!” Adira cried in offense, “No way, <em> I’m </em> teaching him how to fight you’ll just give him bad habits-”</p><p> </p><p>Quirin merely smiled to himself as they bickered, snapping the reins and heading off into the great unknown with his siblings following close behind. He spared a quick glance to the basket in the passenger seat, confirming that Varian hadn’t been woken up by the sudden movement and loud voices. The baby slept on, unaware of the future ahead of him.</p><p> </p><p>Adira and Hector continued to bicker beside him, and Quirin allowed himself to take a deep breath of the fresh air outside the castle. He was sure that between the three of them they’d manage to keep Varian safe...</p><p> </p><p>Somehow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Whispers in the Forest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Varian takes the first steps.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Varian hit the ground with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy groaned as pain skirted up the length of his arms, gravel and dirt digging into his palms as he made contact. He sank down, rolling over onto his back to glare up at his aunt, who merely stared at him with a flat expression. The ground below him shifted, sinking deep into his clothes as he moved. Adira merely continued to watch him shakily struggle, the older woman a perfect picture of poise. Her back was ramrod straight as she sank out of the lunge she’d done to knock Varian down. Adira let out a small breath as she did so, centering herself before fixing her nephew with a determined look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Again</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Adira said with conviction, holding her sword in first position. Varian huffed as he pushed himself up once again, panting from breath and holding his own sword aloft. The boy’s arms shook from the harsh training, but Varain was by no means a quitter. He forced his aching body into position, sword held at the ready while his aunt waited to strike. The ache was deep set, they’d been training for over an hour now, and Varian could feel the soreness sinking into his bones.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their training circle, a mere ring carved into a patch of dirt near their farm, was nearly wiped away from the force of their blows, multiple large holes scattered throughout the circle, as if something had punched through the ground. The wind blew through the nearby forest gently, the soft sound of birdsong and rustling leaves a direct contrast to the violent noises that came from training.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira merely waited for Varian to make the first move, her own feet planted firmly in the dirt. Adira was nothing if not a harsh teacher, despite only having one student. Varian certainly had more than enough bruises to prove it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian let out a cry as he lept forwards, swinging his training sword in a wide arc. The rough iron of the blade chopped through the air awkwardly, the blunt edge doing nothing to help. Adira merely broke her position and effectively batted it out of the way, knocking the arc to the left as she dodged to the right. The woman brought up a leg and kicked towards the boy, her shoe making connection with his chest and knocking Varian backwards once again. Varian let out a grunt as he stumbled, stabbing his sword into the dirt to catch himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The teen didn’t fall this time, but he was certainly off center at the blow; his boots scrambled for purchase in the dusty earth beneath them. Varian’s chest smarted at the pain from the hit. He knew later today he’d probably have a lovely bruise there. His aunt didn’t pull her punches, or her </span>
  <em>
    <span>kicks</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>   The teenager settled back into his stance, feet once again planted and teeth grit against the pain. Adira fixed him with a look of amusement, and let her blade fall to her side, breaking her stance to fix him with a challenging look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re holding back, hairstripe.” She said flatly. “You can do better.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian scowled at that, clutching the hilt of his sword a little tighter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You said today wasn’t about that.” Varian argued, “I distinctly remember you saying this was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>sparring</span>
  </em>
  <span> session.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly.” Adira smirked, “So </span>
  <em>
    <span>spar</span>
  </em>
  <span> with me. Use everything you have.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian tensed a bit, debating something to himself, but finally took a breath and nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His aunt smiled and resumed first position. Her form was impeccable, back straight and feet planted as both arms held her sword aloft. Her hands were steady as they pointed the blade to focus on Varian. The teenager held his own weapon in a guarding pose, waiting for Adira to make the first move this time. The sun beat down upon them both, weak in the early morning, but still enough that Varian could begin to feel the heat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira seemed to be almost studying Varian for a second, a tense silence passing between them. Varian shifted his weight nervously, waiting for his aunt to strike. Adira, in contrast, was as still as a statue, a lioness waiting patiently to strike. Adira finally seemed to find what she was looking for, as her eyes narrowed and Varian could see her shoulders lift slightly. He flinched, as years of training with her had taught him what to expect next. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She lunged forwards with a grunt, her sword jabbing towards him, point first. Varian let out a yelp and felt a sudden surge of power shoot from somewhere inside him and into the ground with an electric </span>
  <em>
    <span>zing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a great </span>
  <em>
    <span>crack</span>
  </em>
  <span> a black pillar of rock burst from the ground between the pair, shooting up and deflecting Adira’s attack. It’s glowed a bright blue as it grew, only settling into a glossy black as it stilled. Her sword merely bounced off it, the blade being made of the same unbreakable material as the stone. The woman let out a laugh at the sight of the rock, merely fixing Varian with an amused look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There we go,” She chuckled. “That’s more like it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira launched herself over the stone with ease, raising her weapon high and attempting to bring it down on her nephew. Her arc was perfect, vaulting over the blunt spike in front of her with grace. Varian scurried out of the way with as much grace as he could, the same power from before bursting forth from somewhere in his chest. Adira was knocked to the side by another blunt spire punching out from the ground, the hit landing hard on her side as her arc was interrupted. Adira managed to land on her feet stumbling slightly. She managed to righten herself with an ease you can only get from years of practice, and shook off the residual pain from the hit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She focused on Varian once again, her normally impeccable white hair starting to come loose from it’s intricate bun. She huffed, and Varian could see her begin to favor the side that hadn’t been hit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian shifted his weight and waited for her to make her move. The power of the Moonstone, the sparking energy within him, buzzed with anticipation. It churned with delight at being awake, having spent so much time pushed down and asleep. The energy sang, a siren’s call connecting with something deep in the earth that was ancient in such a way that even Varian himself couldn’t comprehend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was better that he didn’t.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Arida let out another cry, feigning to the right side of Varian’s little barricade. The boy let out a yelp, letting loose another wave of rocks. The pillars of stone filled his vision, nearly filling the whole right half of their training circle. The new additions were gnarled looking, almost rough in texture compared to their predecessors. Varian felt a pang of irritation, and knew that it was caused when his emotions ran too high. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian peeked around the new wall, unsure as to where his aunt had gone. His blue eyes widened in concern when he couldn’t see her, even around their little circle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adira?” He called hesitantly, “...Auntie?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian suddenly felt an impact on his back, the boy letting out a grunt as he fell forwards from the force of it. The teen caught himself with his hands before he could fully hit the ground, dropping his training sword. Varian flipped over in the dirt once more to see his aunt smiling smugly down at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good try,” She said, offering him a hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian pouted, knocking it aside to stand under his own power. She didn’t take offense, shrugging and turning to the rocks taking up their circle. The rocks jutted from the ground harsly, like pins in a pincushion. Varian shifted awkwardly at the sight of them, reaching out to touch before thinking better of it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sun shone brightly down on the pair, and Varian noted with disgust that he was covered in a sheen of sweat. His heavy breathing was noticeable above the quiet din of the farm. Adira mostly seemed unaffected, but he could see through her straightened spine, noting her holding the side where he’d managed to actually land a blow. For a quiet second the two of them stood, catching their breath and stretching sore muscles. Adira rolled her shoulders, and gestured to Varian with a small wave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now the fun part.” Adira said, fixing her gaze onto the rocks. “Control them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Varian said, his tone offended, “I can control them-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” Adira said. “You can’t. We both know that you can’t. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Full</span>
  </em>
  <span> control, Varain, not just reacting to your emotions. Make them go back into the earth, and I will believe you when you tell me you have the restraint you say you do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian huffed in offense. She was acting lIke controlling an ancient celestial god-power was like learning to ride a bike, like if it was easy if Varian just </span>
  <em>
    <span>tried</span>
  </em>
  <span> hard enough. He glared at the rocks, and cursed their stupid existance. Varian stared at them intently, putting all sense of </span>
  <em>
    <span>will</span>
  </em>
  <span> into his next thoughts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Go back</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought desperately, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please go back</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rocks stayed as they were, mocking him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian grunted and thrust out a gloved hand, the energy of the moonstone crackling within him as he tried to harness it to his will. He could see the blue stripe in his hair light up gently, but it wouldn’t be enough for what he wanted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Go BACK</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nothing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy let out a hiss of frustration, flexing his fingers in the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go </span>
  <em>
    <span>back!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Varian shouted in frustration. When the rocks still did nothing he let out an enraged shout, his outstretched hand forming a fist and slamming into the side of one of the pillars. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> satisfying to hear the </span>
  <em>
    <span>smack</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the side of his fist hit the rock, but they still refused to budge. Varian smacked at the stone a few more times in irritation, the Moonstone going quiet within him now that the fun was apparently over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira put a hand onto his shoulder, patting him in consolation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before then twisting him around and brutally throwing him from the circle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian yelped as he hit ground once more, the dirt puffing up as he slid slightly from the speed of the shove. The boy looked at his aunt in offense, but she merely shrugged with a sense of finality. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is what I mean,” She said, “When I talk about restraint. If you can’t control it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>it</span>
  </em>
  <span> will control </span>
  <em>
    <span>you.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian scoffed, but knew she had a point. The rocks had followed him everywhere he went since infancy; there were many places where their quaint farm had needed the floor fixed after a temper-tantrum or two. It was why Adira pushed him so hard, why Hector prowled the grounds like a particularly devoted guard dog.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why Quirin refused to let Varian leave the family property. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varain had been trying to control the power of the Moonstone for years, but never seemed to make any headway. Every time he tried to do anything more than making the rocks appear, they denied him. Somewhere along the line it had become less about control and more about </span>
  <em>
    <span>escape</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Varian knew his guardians wouldn’t let him leave the property until he was no longer a ticking time bomb. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was all a matter of </span>
  <em>
    <span>getting there</span>
  </em>
  <span> is all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira seemed to pick up on her nephew’s mood, and shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go get some breakfast,” She told him, “You’ll never be anything other than a stick if you don’t eat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian rolled his eyes and started walking, trying to ignore as his aunt began to hack at the rock chopping through them with her sword like a knife through butter. That was par for the course, every time Varain tried to use his powers it always ended with some kind of cleanup. He let out a frustrated puff of breath, looking out towards the rest of their home in the glow of the early morning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their farm was on the smaller side, but still more than enough for three adults and a teenager. It lay in the middle of a clearing deep in the woods, or at least as far as Varian knew it was deep in the woods. The main house was large, built by Varian’s great-grandfather on dad’s side if he remembered correctly, and settled off to one side of the clearing. It was surrounded by a few animal pens and a well, the buildings covering half their land. The other side was all field, where Quirin tended to grow whatever he really felt like. The current obsession was pumpkins, apparently, though it was due to change soon enough. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The whole clearing was surrounded by dense forest, the farm nearly swallowed by the trees around it. Sunlight shone down from above, a welcome thing in the Dark Kingdom; the farm wasn’t really that far from the Coronian border, Varian knew, as Quirin’s childhood home was on the very outskirts of the Dark Kingdom. A single road led in and out of the clearing, a unassuming dirt path that Varian knows eventually links up to the main road into the nearest town, named Carleone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, how Carleone was a sensitive subject. What Varian would give for a chance to go see the town, to really get to know people he wasn’t related to… to really </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> the world as most people did. Something inside him panged with regret at the thought. He was here for his own safety, Varian knew that well. Quirin had basically beat him over the head as a child with horror stories of the lost Sundrop of Corona, and Varian’s father had explained that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was the exact reason they hid themselves away the way they did. Even after the lost princess’s return, Quirin had explained that she was free due to sheer dumb luck, and luck wasn’t something that tended to run in their bloodline. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If anyone ever discovered Varain and more importantly what he could do, it would be a disaster. He’d be hunted for the rest of his life, or just simply murdered and the moonstone ripped from him forcefully. Life would be nothing but the stress of constantly being on the run, of forever having to look over his shoulder. It terrified Varian, honestly, the stories his guardians had told him about the evils of the outside world. It was a bleak outlook, but one that Varian knew was true. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His father would never lie to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head Varian moved on, following the little gravel path down towards the side of the house. He could hear the stirring of the animals in the early morning light, and knew Hector would be out soon to tend to them. Varian approached their house slowly, kicking at the gravel path as he went.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The main house was old but solid, massive beams and stones working together to create a structure that would effectively stay up forever so long as they were treated with care. The side door to their little kitchen creaked as Varian entered, alerting Quirin to the arrival of his son.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hi, dad.” Varian said as he slunk into the room, still stinging from his failure out in the yard. Quirin looked up from where he’d been reading a book, smiling at his son. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Morning.” The man said, “Breakfast’s on the stove.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And with that Quirin turned back to his reading.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian, used to his dad’s quirks, simply fetched a plate for himself and sat down across from his father, ignoring Adira as she appeared through the door and grabbed her own food. She, thankfully, didn’t seem to want to bring up the failure with the rocks at the table, and was content to start primly eating, picking at her food as if she were a particularly picky bird.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian could feel himself fidgeting, poking at his breakfast with his fork in the silence of the kitchen. The only sound was Adira’s chewing and the occasional flutter of Quirin turning the page. Varian twitched for a while, chewing at his lip as he debated how to break the topic on his mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It went like this until Varian couldn’t take it anymore. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>So,</span>
  </em>
  <span> dad-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian cringed as Adira burst out laughing to his left, sinking deeper into his chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But you don’t even know what I’m going to ask?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin looked up from his book with a deadpan stare, one bushy eyebrow raising. He peered at his son from across the kitchen table, fixing the boy with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>look</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Varian tried to ignore the staring, playing innocent until his father finally sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You and I both know it’s time for Adira and I to head into town for supplies.” Quirin said. “And you, last time I checked, have asked to go to town with us every time we’ve gone since you were six years old. I always give the same answer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian slouched in his chair, steadily ignoring Adira’s laughter at his plight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s dangerous for me to leave the property.” Varian finally mumbled, repeating Quirin’s words verbatim to the last time Varian had asked to leave the farm. “Someone could see me and figure out what I am.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin nodded, settling back into his meal. “Exactly. So </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span> you can’t come into town with us.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian felt his face settle into a pout, the boy slouching into his chair. Adira merely patted him on the shoulder from her place to his left.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There, there, hairstripe.” She said, “One day you’ll get there. Remember the lost princess? They only just found her, after all.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian cringed as he was once again reminded of the story of the princess from the next kingdom over, supposedly his equal. The Sundrop, he knew. She’d been stolen just like Varian’s guardians worried he’d be. So long as he didn’t leave the farm he was safe, nice and </span>
  <em>
    <span>isolated</span>
  </em>
  <span>, tucked away from civilization. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Safe, yes, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>bored</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> careful?” Varian asked frantically, “I could hide my hair, maybe with a hat? Or a cloak! I just want to go see what the town’s like, I won’t talk to anyone! I promise, we could even go together, dad, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin looked at him with something sad in his eyes, and the man gently put his book down onto the table. “Varian,” He said, “You know why we can’t let you do that. It’s not that I want to do this, but the risk is too great. Once you have more control we can take another look at letting you go into town.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Besides,” Adira butted in, “I’m sure Hector would get lonely here all by himself. If we left him alone I’m sure we’d come back to six new </span>
  <em>
    <span>pets</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I heard that,” Came Hector’s affronted voice from the doorway. Daylight spilled in from behind him, the man coming in from tending to the animals. “And I’ll have you know if I wanted we’d have six new pets either way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man roughly kicked the door shut behind him, and the kitchen rattled with the force. Quirin looks up from his reading to fix Hector with a glare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you break that door again, you’re going to be the one fixing it this time.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira snorted, but pushed over a plate of breakfast to Hector as he threw himself into the fourth, and final, chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their kitchen was small but they made due. It was cramped, but homey, packed full of dishes and other knick-knacks that had simply appeared over time. Warm sunlight drifted through the large windows, bathing the room in a cheery light. The room was painted a soft tan colour, matching the simple oak cabinets. The floors were a mixture of floorboards old and new, mostly caused by Varian’s tantrums as a child requiring a full renovation of the floors of whatever room he’d been in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Varian couldn’t help but want </span>
  <em>
    <span>out</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d lived here, Varian and his father, aunt, and uncle, since he was a baby. It was the only place Varian had ever known, but it was beginning to </span>
  <em>
    <span>chafe</span>
  </em>
  <span> to say the least. He could only listen to Adira and Hector bicker for so long before losing his mind, you know. Quirin meant well, he knew, but by the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Moon </span>
  </em>
  <span>was Varian ready to jump out a window. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian was broken from his musing as Quirin finally stood, Adira following him. “Alright,” The man rumbled, “Time to head out, Adira. Varian? Hector’s in charge.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian scoffed, looking over to where his uncle was shoving eggs into his face like it was his last meal. Hector paused for a second, sneering at the lot of them before continuing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adira smiled with a grim acceptance. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Animal</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” She chided with a roll of her eye, before she and Quirin were out the door. The minute they were gone Varian stood as well, taking his still full plate to the sink and abandoning it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Going to the lab, bye!” He called, not giving Hector a second to respond. Varian bolted out of the kitchen door and deeper into the house, his footsteps never wavering as he headed towards his basement laboratory. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He skid to a stop near a large oak door, and borderline tore it open in his rush. The circular room beyond was large, having once been a storage room for preserves, until Hector and Quirin had emptied it out and given Varian the space for his thirteenth birthday. Varian had quickly moved in, and soon enough the space was covered in different inventions and experiments. It was set deep into the earth, the only windows the room being small and set high into the walls, only just peeking up over the grass outside before hitting the ceiling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian cracked his knuckles as he entered the lab, prepared to get down to a day of sciencing. He thumped down the wooden stairs, uncaring as dust fell from the old beams and onto the stone floor below.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> His lab was the only place in the house he knew for sure he’d be left alone, and he was forever grateful for it. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his family, of course he did, but there was something about having a private space of his own that gave him a small spark of joy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Besides, it gives him somewhere to practice without Adira knocking him into the dirt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian went to the far side of the lab, sneaking between a few failed inventions. Far behind everything was a small mound, covered in a thick, green blanket. Varian removed it with a flourish, letting the blanket flutter to the ground. His eyes locked onto the small spikes of obsidian rocks jutting from the crease between the floor and the wall of the lab, stabbing through the stone without a care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could feel something within him connecting to them, a siren’s call beckoning him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>C̴͔͇̜̒͌̔o̵̥͗̽͝m̵͈̗̝͂͆e̸͎̊ ̶̡̪̓S̵̳͉͖̿ẻ̸͚̠͕̌̌ē̵̤</b>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> something whispered in the cracks of his mind, </span>
  <b>C̴̮͙̈̓͝o̶͉̚m̷̜̹̱̆͐̕ȇ̵̛̝̮͋ ̸͔̞̟̈́S̶̛̤̜̻͑̈́e̶̥̳̻͂͗̍e̴̺̻͍̒̔ ̶̰̤͇̿̈́Ẉ̵̐ḫ̶͒͝a̸̞̺͗͜t̴̰̍ ̷̢͎̗̌W̶̡̥̓ë̴̬̀͑ ̵͙͈͊̀̚C̵̛̙͙͊a̵̛̮͎͌̕n̴̞̣͍̒̋̚ ̵̳̒̍̄D̷̠̟̰͝ǭ̶̞̫͛ ̵̡̡͕̈̕T̵̯͚̉o̴̙͎̓̍͆g̷̢̈̇̎e̷͔̤͛̓̓t̷̰̆̅ȟ̷̭͠e̵͕͚͆ṛ̷̓̒̕.̴͕̥̑̈́̌</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian sucked in a deep breath, extending his hand out to them and feeling the Moonstone within him </span>
  <em>
    <span>push</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His vision went a bright blue for a second, almost white from the intensity, and from past experience he knew his eyes and hair were aglow with the Moonstone’s powers. Something about letting the Moonstone’s power out, letting it </span>
  <em>
    <span>loose</span>
  </em>
  <span>, felt right. Like the feeling of running after being cooped up for too long, like gasping for air after being underwater for too long.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rocks grew slightly, glowing the same blue they always had, responding to his attempt at control. They spiked just that little bit higher, reaching towards him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>C̴͔͇̜̒͌̔o̵̥͗̽͝m̵͈̗̝͂͆e̸͎̊ ̶̡̪̓S̵̳͉͖̿ẻ̸͚̠͕̌̌ē̵̤</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian jolted slightly at the success, and hesitantly reached out to touch one. It pulsed with energy when his fingers made contact, a sharp </span>
  <em>
    <span>zing</span>
  </em>
  <span> that felt almost like a shock. His breaths were heavy within the silence of the lab, but he continued on. With another </span>
  <em>
    <span>push</span>
  </em>
  <span> he tried to make them recede back into the stone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time the rocks defied him. They stayed exactly where they were, and Varian huffed in frustration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>lacked control</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adira said, and without control he was dangerous. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As his past experiments had proved, something in the rocks responded to his emotions, be they good or bad. In a controlled setting, like the lab, sure it was easy to manage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the outside world? Not a chance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was something stubborn about them, the rocks. Getting them to appear was almost as easy as breathing; something in them felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span> as he would let the energy loose, flowing deep into the earth below. Getting them to recede, however, was something Varian had never been able to do. It was like they had a mind of their own at that point, and it drove Varian every type of crazy in the book.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>C̴͔͇̜̒͌̔o̵̥͗̽͝m̵͈̗̝͂͆e̸͎̊ ̶̡̪̓S̵̳͉͖̿ẻ̸͚̠͕̌̌ē̵̤</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian scoffed, and pulled a notebook from a nearby table. He quickly flipped it open to about halfway through, where a long chart lay. Under a blank row he marked the date, and on the column </span>
  <em>
    <span>failed</span>
  </em>
  <span> he put a small tick, joining it’s countless brothers. He let out a sigh of disappointment, seeing the </span>
  <em>
    <span>failed</span>
  </em>
  <span> column chock full of little ticks without a single one in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>success</span>
  </em>
  <span> category. The dates, he knew, went all the way back to the start of the book, and filled three other journals that had been burned once they were done with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It wouldn’t be a fun time if his guardians found out he’d been practicing without them, Adira especially was firm in that he should only practice with one of them around to monitor him. Varian knew full well that the Moonstone could take control from </span>
  <em>
    <span>Varian</span>
  </em>
  <span> if he dug too deep, if he let himself sink into the abyss that was the Moonstone’s sway. If he lost control with someone near, then hopefully whoever it was would be able to pull him out from the trance and calm him down, to draw him out from the depths of the Moonstone’s all consuming power. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If he couldn’t control it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>it</span>
  </em>
  <span> would control </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adira had said, but what if he never could? The rocks were unstable at best, and Varain’s control over them was more of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>suggestion</span>
  </em>
  <span> than actual commands. Varian knew that the rules were there to protect him, yadda yadda, but he also knew that the only chance of a normal life was to harness the rocks and </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> use the power ever again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin had been firm on it, assuring Varian that once he could keep the rocks under control he’d get his chance to be normal, but also demanded that Varian had to be patient and wait it out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian let out a frustrated huff of breath, and then turned back to the rocks, quill in hand and the notebook balanced on his knee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” He said, sticking his hand back out towards the rocks, “Let’s try this again.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It was nearly midday when Varian was distracted by the sound of movement by one of the lab’s windows, one up near his work table, embedded near the ceiling of the basement laboratory. Thankfully because it was mostly underground the lab was a little darker, and more importantly a little cooler in the summer months, and Varian was nothing but grateful for that fact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The window the noise had come from was open, the gentle summer’s breeze filtering in. The noises of their barnyard animals would be heard outside, along with the sound of a babbling brook that Varian knew was out behind the house. The boy looked at the open window with suspicion, before dragging a wayward stool over and climbing up to take a closer look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That’s why, when a black, white, and grey face suddenly popped up from under the windowsill on the outside, Varian was scared out of his wits. The boy let out a shriek and toppled backwards, landing hard on the stone floor of the lab. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ow</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian grumps, flat on his ass on the floor as Ruddiger chittered in apology from above. The raccoon looked down with concern from his place outside the window, and Varian sent a glare up to his friend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeeze, Rudy,” Varian said, “Couldn’t have given me a little warning?” The boy picked himself up off the stone, brushing the dust from his pants. He turned to glare at his raccoon again, but stopped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger wasn’t at the window anymore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian rolled his eyes,and knew he’d have to go fetch his wayward pet himself. He could use a break, honestly, as he’d been trying to force a connection with the black rocks for hours now. The whispers had eventually gone silent, probably just as bored as Varian was in the dull process of trying to harness an ancient god-power.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian quickly rightened the stool and headed back up the stairs, once again ignoring the creak of the old wood under his feet. Hector was still at the table when Varian went running past, the man trying to say something but Varian cut him off with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sorry-Gotta-Go-Get-Ruddiger-Be-Right-Back</span>
  </em>
  <span> and then promptly rushed out the back door and back into the bright sunlight of the farm proper, the door slamming shut behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian felt the gravel crunch under his boots as he sprinted after his raccoon, the boy just catching sight of a striped tail slipping into a nearby bush. Varian crouched down as he got close, slowly advancing until he was close enough. With a triumphant yell Varian sntached up his pet, lifting Ruddiger high in victory as the raccoon struggled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There you are!” Varian crowed, snuggling his flailing pet. “Thought you could get away, did you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger squirmed for another second but seemed to realize who exactly it was holding him, as the raccoon let out a coo and pushed his face into Varian’s neck. The boy let out a giggle at the tickling feeling. Ruddiger took his chance, scurrying out of Varian’s arms and clambering up and over the boy’s shoulders, the raccoon using the boy as a launch pad. Varian spluttered, turning to see his pet sprinting towards the woods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, stop!” Varian cried, racing after his pet. Ruddiger didn’t listen, however, and vanished in between the tall trees surrounding the farm. Varian hesitated at the threshold of the woods, knowing that this was the farthest he was permitted to go.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian saw his pet’s striped tail flick somewhere deeper in the woods, and the boy snuck a peek back to the house. Hector was distracted enough that he wouldn’t notice if Varian were quick. If Varian could just slip in, grab Ruddiger, and head back, it would be fine, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian sucked in a deep breath, and took his first step into the woods. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger led Varian on a merry chase for the next hour through the forest. This excursion was turning out to be a lot harder than </span>
  <em>
    <span>get in, get Ruddiger, and get out</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but Varian couldn’t find it within himself to complain. Varian had gotten distracted almost the minute he’d entered the forest, the sudden rush of being outside the farm hitting him the minute the silence of the woods had enveloped him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Twigs cracked under his feet in a novel way, the boy delighting in the feeling of something other than gravel, grass, or stone beneath his boots. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ruddiger?” He called out, his voice swallowed up by the layer of quiet the forest had. Something in Varian twists with a nervous energy, as the trees around him start to blur.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And there, in the very back of his mind, it whispers again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>K̴̩͆̏e̸̪̰̓̾e̸̱̙͚̓͗͐p̵̟̟͑ͅ ̸̢̺͑g̷̨̖̯̽̑͘o̵͓̖̓͐i̶̛͍͝n̸̛̺̗̓̾g̸̳̜͝͝</b>
  <span>, the voice says, </span>
  <b>F̵̱̈́i̶̤̋n̷͎̆ḑ̶̋ ̶͗͜t̷̺͂h̸̯͆e̷͙͊ S̸̱̲̰͌̐̆͊̿̿̑̃̐̃̅͝͠u̷̡͕͙͚͈̺͍͉͚̣̠̱̤̳̪͇̪̐̓̽̔͊̏́̎͝n̴̛̞̻͔̩̹̗̭̦̼̜̞͔͌͐̊̍̃͐̈́̿̍̽̊̓̿̉͆d̷̨̛̙̼̬̩̣̥͇̜̖̐̎̒̕r̴̡̭̘̖͈̙̭̦̊o̸͉̠͚͙͗͗͂̓̂̓͂͘p̷̨̡̖̫̬̻̥̟͕̦̯̯̤̮̋̈́̅̀̋́͑̀̇̄̚̚</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Sundrop? Oh, the lost princess. But she was in a different country all together, way out in Corona. It was at least a month of travel between the farm and Corona’s capital, and that was even entertaining the hilarious notion that Quirin would ever let Varian stray that far from home. The boy shook himself, trying to get his bearings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ruddiger</span>
  </em>
  <span>!?” He called again, a little more frantic. “Where are you buddy, we’ve got to go home!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Had the trees always been so gnarled? So all encompassing? Varian realized, belatedly, that he wasn’t a hundred percent sure how to get back home, he’d been so distracted he hadn’t been keeping track. Varian’s breath hitched with fear at the thought, it was already midday, what if his guardians weren’t able to find him again, what if he was lost in the woods forever? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even worse, what if they </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>find him?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Over the rush of his heartbeat, Varian could hear the </span>
  <em>
    <span>pulse</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the Moonstone waking up like a great wave, rushing over him and pulling him into the undertow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, not now” Varian whispered as the ground below him began to shift and twist. Black rocks stabbed through the dark earth of the forest floor. “Damnit, stop, stop,</span>
  <em>
    <span> stop</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rocks began to violently grow from the earth, the spires shooting into the air like claws into flesh. Varian’s breathing picked up as a few trees began to shudder, uprooted by the rocks growing below them. The earth rumbled like a sleeping beast, waking up from a million years nap. Birds squawked in terror, taking flight from their perches as the whole forest rumbled to life as the power of the Moonstone did its best to tear it apart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” Varian screamed at the rocks, dodging as one erupted from the ground directly below his feet. His heartbeat raced, a rabbit’s pace in his chest as the Moonstone’s energy quickly grew out of control. Varian was borderline hyperventilating, gasping for breath in his panic, the lack of oxygen he was getting made him feel almost faint. The boy threw both of his hands up, focusing all he could into his next command.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“E̶̫̽n̵͙͠o̴̢͒u̴̼͘g̶̪̕h̷̪̿</b>
  <span>” Varian’s voice was hard against the rattling of the earth. The Moonstone’s presence seemed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>shudder</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a cold ice embedded in his chest. His vision went a bright white, and he could feel his hair raise up and out of the clutches of gravity. Varian felt something inside of him </span>
  <em>
    <span>push</span>
  </em>
  <span>, an electric zap spreading from somewhere within his chest and up into his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rocks, amazingly, stopped.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only noise left behind was Varian’s heavy breaths, deafeningly loud in the silence of the abandoned forest. His vision returned, and his hair fell flat once again. His heart finally began to settle, and the chill of the moonstone’s presence receded back into the hole it crawled from. Varian let out a sigh of relief as the rumbling stopped, dropping his hands and looking in shock at the state of the forest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dozens of black rocks jutted from the earth in sharp spikes, cutting through stone, trees, and anything else that had stood in their way. The animals had all seemed to sense the disturbance, as they were all long gone, the silence left behind almost palpable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And in that silence, the whispers started again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>F̴o̵r̴w̵a̴r̵d̶s̷,̸ ̴T̸o̸w̸a̴r̵d̵s̴ ̵Y̴o̸u̵r̸ ̸D̶e̸s̷t̴i̷n̸y̶</b>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>F̵̱̈́i̶̤̋n̷͎̆ḑ̶̋ ̶͗͜t̷̺͂h̸̯͆e̷͙͊ S̸̱̲̰͌̐̆͊̿̿̑̃̐̃̅͝͠u̷̡͕͙͚͈̺͍͉͚̣̠̱̤̳̪͇̪̐̓̽̔͊̏́̎͝n̴̛̞̻͔̩̹̗̭̦̼̜̞͔͌͐̊̍̃͐̈́̿̍̽̊̓̿̉͆d̷̨̛̙̼̬̩̣̥͇̜̖̐̎̒̕r̴̡̭̘̖͈̙̭̦̊o̸͉̠͚͙͗͗͂̓̂̓͂͘p̷̨̡̖̫̬̻̥̟͕̦̯̯̤̮̋̈́̅̀̋́͑̀̇̄̚̚</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And above all the others:</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>C̴̮͙̈̓͝o̶͉̚m̷̜̹̱̆͐̕ȇ̵̛̝̮͋ ̸͔̞̟̈́S̶̛̤̜̻͑̈́e̶̥̳̻͂͗̍e̴̺̻͍̒̔ ̶̰̤͇̿̈́Ẉ̵̐ḫ̶͒͝a̸̞̺͗͜t̴̰̍ ̷̢͎̗̌W̶̡̥̓ë̴̬̀͑ ̵͙͈͊̀̚C̵̛̙͙͊a̵̛̮͎͌̕n̴̞̣͍̒̋̚ ̵̳̒̍̄D̷̠̟̰͝ǭ̶̞̫͛ ̵̡̡͕̈̕T̵̯͚̉o̴̙͎̓̍͆g̷̢̈̇̎e̷͔̤͛̓̓t̷̰̆̅ȟ̷̭͠e̵͕͚͆ṛ̷̓̒̕</b>
  <span>.̴͕̥̑̈́̌</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian didn’t know when the whispering had started, he only knew that it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Dad had told him once, probably too far deep in his cup to think better of it, about Varian repeating </span>
  <em>
    <span>come see </span>
  </em>
  <span>to himself at a year old, the baby nearly crawling out a window in a determination to follow the voice in his head. It had never seemed malicious, to Varian at least, merely something that tugged at him every time he used the Moonstone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian didn’t know if it really </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Moonstone whispering to him, but what else could it be? It was a voice, but not one that he could easily describe. It seemed like more of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>feeling</span>
  </em>
  <span> than anything, encouraging him out into the world against the orders of his guardians. It was a pull, a drive that Varian could feel every time he looked out into the woods beyond his home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hector had been the most concerned, Varian knew, that the voice was something evil, trying to lure their boy away. “There’s no such thing as a voice without a mouth,” He’d said to Quirin, after Varian had nearly fallen out the window as a baby, “And there’s no such thing as a voice without a thought. Whatever it is knows</span>
  <em>
    <span> exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> what it’s doing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The forest slowly returned to life, the noises washing over again as if nothing had happened. Birdsong filtered back through the cracked trees, and Varian huffed a breath of relief. A sudden chitter from a nearby bush had the boy lookng to his left, Ruddiger popping out from the greenery as if nothing had happened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, buddy!” Varian laughed, scooping up his wayward pet. “Where have you been, huh?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger merely chirped at his human, scurrying out of Varian’s arms and up onto his shoulders. Varian let out a laugh as the raccoon snuggled close, chittering in contentment. Varian let out a coo of his own, idly scratching between the racoon’s pointed ears. The pair of them looked at the chaos Varian had accidentally caused, Varian glad that at least he had been on a side trail, and not the main road.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A whiney of a horse drew Varian out of his musing, the boy dropping down into the brush before he could think. Vairan slowly crept towards the source of the noise, sliding down a small hill until he was right next to the main road, still hidden by the dense green of the woods. He kept to the shadows as his uncle had taught him, peering through the brush as a large horse went walking by, a woman sat atop. A party followed her, three men and another woman, all on horses of their own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How much longer to Carleone?” The woman asked haughtily, “I want to be at the inn before too late in the day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Another ten minutes, my lady,” One of the men called back. “We’ll be there before you know it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She scoffed, but Varian missed the rest of their conversation as they rode out of hearing range. His eyes followed them as they paraded down the road, and in the far distance he could see the telltale smoke plumes of a town.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The very same town Varian himself was never ever, ever, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>, supposed to go near.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian slowly crept from the brush and onto the main road, staring in curiosity at the distant silhouettes of buildings in the far distance, poking up from beyond the trees. He should turn around and go right home, he knew, if he’d already reached town then he’d been away for far longer than he’d intended, and Varian knew that unfortunately Hector wouldn’t remain distracted forever. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Varian didn’t get home soon, he knew that it would only be a matter of time before this little adventure was discovered, and an end would be put to it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian snuck a glance behind him, back into the woods he’d come from, back towards home. His eyes were drawn once again to the town, slowly but surely, drifting over with a thinly veiled excitement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In for a penny, in for a pound, right</span>
  </em>
  <span>? He asked himself. What could possibly be in the town that was so dangerous that Quirin wouldn’t let him explore? So long as he kept mostly to himself, it would be fine, right? One little outing in the grand scheme of things couldn’t be the end of the world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian picked nervously at his gloves, biting his lip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He should really be getting home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian paused once more, staring deep into the woods, before turning around and walking quickly towards the town of Carleone. His feet seemed to move of their own accord, controlled by the spirit of the adventure and freedom that Varian so desperately craved. Varian let out an excited little laugh, surprised by his own audacity.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And in the face of his disobedience, the voice within crackled with joy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>F̸o̴r̷w̸a̶r̸d̷s̶</b>
  <span>, it said, a feather’s touch on his psyche, </span>
  <b>Ţ̴͆o̸̝̓w̵̘̐ả̵̬ř̶̟d̷̬̿s̷̲̊ ̵̟̌Y̷̮̾ő̸͓ǘ̶̲ř̵͈ ̴̜͗D̵̘̍e̷̛̙š̸̹t̵̹͑i̷̼͝n̸̻̆y̴̭̅.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Forwards it was, then.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let's get this party started! No Hugo yet, but he's in the next chapter :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Risk I Took Was Calculated</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Varian meets some douche bag, explores town, and generally has a pretty interesting day, but not particularly in that order.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The path to Carleone was nothing if not simple. It was a straight shot through the woods, and a quiet one at that. Varian walked the path to the town alone, reveling in the idea of an adventure of his very own. The feeling of disobeying his guardians was something</span>
  <em>
    <span> exciting</span>
  </em>
  <span>, making his footsteps quick along the cobblestone path. In the distance the silhouettes of the town grew larger, and soon enough Varian could hear the noises of a bustling town.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger sat atop Varian’s shoulders, chirping every once and awhile. The raccoon was nothing if not content, going for a lovely walk with his human. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon enough Varian stood on the threshold of town, nothing between him and stepping forwards save for his own fear. He hid slightly behind a tree, shrouded from sight from the villagers. Varian could feel his hands begin to fidget with his gloves, ignoring the urge to take them off and bite at his nails.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The market, he knew, was divided into the more concrete stores and then the tent market. The tents were temporary hubs for merchants, and in the summer they were always bustling until the cold snap of winter would shut it down for the season. For now, in the height of summer, it was a bustling hub, people crammed in shoulder to shoulder as they slowly walked between the stalls. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian hesitated at the sight of so many strangers, but grit his teeth in resolution.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was eighteen, by the Moon, and this was just a trip into town. He’d be in and out before dad even noticed he was gone! Varian took a deep breath, idly bringing up one of his hands to scratch the place between Ruddiger’s ears. People bustled through the marketplace, Varian could see them all from his hiding place as they went about their </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> days as </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian would give </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be one of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first step was always to </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Varian knew, so he took a deep breath and stepped out from his hiding place, into the sunlight. He kept to the outer limits of the market at first, circling around like a curious puppy. He was content to watch, honestly; it wasn’t like he’d brought any coin anyways. There were so many new faces, different people of creeds and races that were just </span>
  <em>
    <span>fascinating </span>
  </em>
  <span>to a boy who had only known three other people his whole life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian found himself wandering deeper into Carleone, into the town properly. His father’s stories of the market always made it sound so boring, nothing but farmers and craftsmen peddling their wares at exuberant prices. In reality, however, it was a colourful, amazing place to be, in Varian’s opinion. He came across the permanent part of the village market, still just as busy as the tents had been.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This part of the market was a series of buildings, all in a large circle, each one boasting a specialty of some kind. People milled about, children running after toys and each other, and parents trying desperately to get the shopping done. Varian watched one man in particular, one as big as an ox, scoop up three of the children in one arm with a loud laugh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a delicious smell coming from the nearby bakery, the scent of chocolate and rising dough filling the market and adding to the whole market square’s feel of comfort.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p><em><span>What a</span></em> <em><span>place</span></em><span>, Varian thought with a jolt of excitement, and it had been so close this whole time.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A group of musicians were playing their instruments, three strings and one wind that Varian didn’t know the names of. It was a peppy tune, matching the scene in the marketplace perfectly. Varian felt swept along by the energy of it all, caught in a tide he didn’t want to escape from.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why would his guardians ever want to keep him from the world, if </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>was what it was like? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian shook himself at the sudden remembrance of his family. He’d been gone for at least two hours now, including the time he’d been looking for Ruddiger, and it would take another hour yet to get home. Varian should have started trying to get back already, if he were honest with himself, but something kept him wandering through the cobblestone streets of Carleone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was time to go, Varian knew, as the sun began to dip a little lower in the sky. It was late afternoon by now, and if he wasn’t home for dinner the alchemist knew the jig would be up for sure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a small sigh he began to retrace his steps through town, Ruddiger still perched atop his shoulders. The raccoon was fast asleep, curled around Varian’s neck and tickling a little bit with each snoring breath the raccoon sighed out. Varian distractedly patted Ruddiger’s tail, gently petting it without thought as he made his way to the outskirts of town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stopped, however, when a certain shop sign caught his eye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The Humble Alchemist</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Varian muttered to himself, already crossing the courtyard for a closer look. If this was what he thought it was, then </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> there was time for one more stop before going home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Low and behold, within the front window Varian could see a multitude of beakers, vials, and other such alchemy equipment displayed with care. Varian could feel the excitement spark through him. He knew that dad had said there was an alchemy store in town, where else would Quirin get the things Varian asked him for, but it was one thing to know about the shop, and another thing entirely to see it for himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>wow</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian said with glee, already reaching for the doorknob. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to take an extra five minutes, right? If he was going to get in trouble for this Varian might as well make it count, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bell gave out a little chime as Varian entered the shop, and he was immediately bombarded with the smell of sulphur. It was a familiar scent, and Varian couldn’t help but relax as he drifted between the shelves of the store. The displays were varied, stacks of equipment and chemicals all crowded into the tiny space. Varian slowly found himself near the back of the store where a large bookcase took up the entire back wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked over the titles on their spines, slowly going through a mental checklist of what he had back in his own lab, and briefly began to mentally log the ones he might ask his father to grab him one day. He already had most of the books on this shelf, but a few were either newer or rarer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One in particular stuck out, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Practical Alchemy</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that Varian hadn’t seen before. It was a thick book, and Varian found himself reaching for it before he thought better. No point getting attached-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Varian complained as a gloved hand suddenly appeared, snatching the book off the shelf before Varian could get it. Varian’s blue eyes snapped up to the person who had appeared next to him, seeing another boy about his age dressed all in green. He wore large circular glasses, and a pair of spiked goggles around his neck. Blond hair, green eyes, and a smirk that made Varian’s blood </span>
  <em>
    <span>boil</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Varian scowled at the other boy, who merely raised a blond brow in challenge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sorry,” The boy in green said snarkily, “Were you gonna grab this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian huffed in frustration, crossing his arms. “I was,” he said, “But now I’m not so sure I want it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blond boy laughed at that, his green eyes glinting behind the thin lenses of his large glasses. With a small flick he opened the book, skimming through the pages with disinterest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm,” He said, his gaze flicking around one of the pages. “Well, I doubt a cute little thing like you’d be able to understand half the stuff in this book; maybe you’d like something from over there,” The blond boy jabbed a thumb over to a different shelf of books, labeled </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alchemy for Children - Start Them Early!</span>
  </em>
  <span>, with a smug smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian could feel himself start to fume feeling his face heat up. Varian clenched his fists. The Moonstone in him began to spark in interest, but he shoved it down. “And you’re some kind of expert?” Varian said, crossing his arms, “You don’t look like much.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The other guy blinked, looking up from the book and smiling at Varian’s snappy tone. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Well</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” He said with an air of interest, “Someone’s got claws, don’t they?” The older teen leaned against the bookshelf, still flicking through </span>
  <em>
    <span>Practical Alchemy </span>
  </em>
  <span>like it already belonged to him. Finally finding whatever it was he was looking for, the older teen ripped the page from the book, casually shoving the paper into his pocket. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian cringed at the sound of tearing paper. The blonde snapped the book shut and flippantly tossed it to Varian. “See?” He said, “There. Now it’s yours.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian fumbled with the book, finally getting a grip on it and staring at the green eyed boy in horror. “You just- I- </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian’s brain short circuited at the audacity of the person in front of him, the blonde already pushing off to waltz out of the aisle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Be seeing you, goggles,” The blond said with a casual wave, not looking back. Varian shoved </span>
  <em>
    <span>Practical Alchemy </span>
  </em>
  <span>back into its spot on the shelf, hastily leaving the scene of the crime and following the blond boy out of the shop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Varian called, sprinting after the other boy. “Hey you can’t just- </span>
  <em>
    <span>hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The courtyard was emptying in the late afternoon, most of the people having shopped themselves out and retreated towards home. It was easy to catch up to the other boy, and Varian grabbed his wrist and forced green eyes to meet his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to go put that back!” Varian said with conviction, “Or at least buy the whole book!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blond looked at him in surprise for a second, before bursting out laughing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh jeeze,” He laughed, “That’s adorable! What, are you going to go tattle to the teacher? Get me put in detention? Isn’t that what you kids do?” He lifted his glasses up to wipe the tears of mirth from his green eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen.” Blondie said, less casually, “It’s cute that you still think that people are nice, or whatever, but I really don’t have time for it. Now,” He grabbed a hold of Varian’s shoulders and spun the alchemist around, pushing Varian forwards and away. “Hows about you </span>
  <em>
    <span>scram</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and I won’t have to send you crying home to your mother?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian huffed, turning around once again, meeting blondie’s glare head on. Varian jabbed a pointed finger into the green vest of the taller boy, trying to be something near threatening. He got close to blondie, close enough that Varian could see his own angry reflection in the glasses in front of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hows about</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian began with a hiss, “You put that page back, and I don’t go find the town guards right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian had no idea where the guards were, let alone the guard</span>
  <em>
    <span>house</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but he’d be willing to hedge his bets that the older boy in front of him doesn’t know that. Varian’s gambit doesn’t seem to be working, however, as the blond simply laughs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like your big, bad, threatening tone,” Blondie chuckled, “S’cute. But I’m headed to Corona the minute the sun comes up tomorrow, so I’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>love</span>
  </em>
  <span> to see you try and get me arrested in the next… oh ten hours?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian huffed as the other boy spun, his back once again to Varian as he left. Varian let him go this time, watching as the older boy disappeared in between two houses.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Until next time!” The boy in green laughed, as he vanished into the shadows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian waited until he was sure that the other boy was gone, before slowly looking down to the hand he hadn’t been using to threaten the other boy. Varian let out a snicker as he opened his clenched fist to see the page, rumpled from where he’d snuck it out from Blondie’s pocket. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Varian giggled at his own cleverness, “Be seeing you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Ruddiger.” Varian assured his pet, who was chittering atop his shoulders. “We’ll just give the page back tomorrow, or whenever I can sneak out again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Because it was already obvious to Varian that he’d be sneaking out again, he’d had too much fun in town to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> try again the minute he could. Even here, on the road outside of Carleone, he was having a good time, peering over the chemical formulas with glee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You wouldn’t get it</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian mimicked mockingly, “Whatever, I’d get it if it was more than one page. Who does that, eh, Ruddiger? Just rips a page out of a book like a savage?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raccoon merely shrugged, munching on an apple he’d managed to find out in the forest somewhere. Varian couldn’t help but laugh at the look of his pet, so content with his snack. Ah, to live for the simple joys.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pair of them had hiked back out to the place Varian had originally left the woods, the sun sinking low in the sky. Varian was mildly worried that he’d been gone too long, but there was always straight up lying to get him out of trouble as an option. He saw the place they’d entered the woods, and without preamble Varian dipped in between the trees.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>W̸̮̣̯̎͌̈ř̶͍̻̥͛̄ȯ̷͕n̷̠̭̖̔̓̎̐g̷͙͈̽̎̆ ̶̯̼̈̂̽͒Ẇ̴̨̺̼͖a̷̗͈̦͆͘y̷͔̻̟͛̃ͅ</b>
  <span> the voice whispered, </span>
  <b>T̸͚͠ỏ̵̻w̴̢͆a̵̤̓r̷̠͝d̵̲͗s̴̰̾ ̵͇̈́T̵͈͊h̵̻̅ĕ̷͜ ̷̛̞ Ṣ̵̘͖̤͕̦͒̐̏ư̸͙̥̲̤̜͍̖̤̤̺͓͉̺̯͌̅̐̋̐̾̏̓n̵̞͇̎͝d̸̨̜̩̞̤̔r̸̢̡̝̥̞̟̬̹̯͒̊̓̈͗̒͐̍͆͘͜͝ȏ̶̧̙͙͖͖̟̥̬͙͚̳͉p̴̡̛̹̹̼̟̘͉̽͑̌̓̈͝</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, that was back. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> been oddly silent in town, or maybe just drowned out in the bustle of being around so many other people. Varian couldn’t say he’d missed it, even if it was something he’d come to terms with.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The forest was just quiet as it had been before, calm with the gentle noises of trees and animals, the birdsong mostly over now that the day was winding down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>W̸̮̣̯̎͌̈ř̶͍̻̥͛̄ȯ̷͕n̷̠̭̖̔̓̎̐g̷͙͈̽̎̆ ̶̯̼̈̂̽͒Ẇ̴̨̺̼͖a̷̗͈̦͆͘y̷͔̻̟͛̃ͅ</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, you shut up.” Varian muttered to the voice, “I’m going </span>
  <em>
    <span>home.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’d better be,” A familiar voice spat. Varian whipped around to come face to face with his </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>angry looking uncle. Hector scowled, marching up to Varian from further within the forest. Varian felt himself tense in the face of his uncle’s anger, but knew better than to try and back up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Uncle Hector</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Varian said in a tense, overdone facade of joy. “What brings you to this part of the woods-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut it,” Hector bit out, grabbing at the back of Varian’s shirt collar, effectively scruffing him. “I don’t want to hear it. Your dad is </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuming</span>
  </em>
  <span>, kid, and Adira and I aren’t too happy either.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger was knocked from his boy’s shoulders at the motion, the raccoon chittering bitterly at being denied his spot. Varian shrunk into himself, nervously picking at his gloves. Hector was by no means rough, but he was firm with his grip on his nephew. Together they walked through the forest towards home, the awkward silence stretching long into the trip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They passed the place where Varian had lost control earlier, and Hector merely scowled at the rocks, still jutting up from the ground. Varian swore he could hear Hector mutter something about </span>
  <em>
    <span>disposing of the evidence</span>
  </em>
  <span> under his breath, but it was too quick to know for sure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <b>R̴͎̗̞̗̺̙͚̹̮̤̠͇̓͊͂̈́̈́́̋̽͊̎͘͜U̷̧͕̠̤͚̬͕̥̘͗̾̋̀͜Ň̶̡̢̢̛̗̩͕̦͓̗͖͈͖̬̼̤͇͕͕̱̬͎̅̐̚ ̵̢̢͙͓̣̩̦͚̪͓́̾̿̂̒̐͘͘͝Ȁ̷̲̩́̐̈́̒̊̍̿̍̌̏͛̈́̂̈͆͂̚͘̚͜Ŵ̸̥̩̟̰̰̤̻̰̮̽͂͌͊̊̾̂̈́̂́̐̈̇̽̈́͋̓͘͘͜Ι̡̱Ä̴̧̢̢̛͇̗̟̘̦͚͔̖̮̠̬͔̤͔͚̖̝͈̖̤͒́̉́̃́̾͒͑̂̿͜͠Ŷ̴̫̹̭̩͖̿̂͊̋</b>
  <span> the voice barked, so loud that Varian violently flinched. Hector seemed to notice, letting up on his grip. Varian’s thoughts rattled from the force of the suggestion… no, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>command</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The voice had always been so gentle, light suggestions and careful nudges towards the outside world, a soft tapping on the inside of his skull. It had never </span>
  <em>
    <span>shouted</span>
  </em>
  <span> before, let alone ordered him to do something he didn’t want to do. Varian couldn’t pretend like it didn’t scare him, this new turn the whispers had taken.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wouldn’t run from Hector, that’d be a one way ticket to being under lock and key until he was a hundred years old. Though, from the scowl Varian’s uncle was wearing, something told the boy that that was basically where he was headed anyways. Hector herded Varian past the rocks, the pair of them getting closer to home, the man obviously having no patience for his nephew’s attempts at stalling. Ruddiger chittered with apprehension at the angry adult, following the pair of them along the forest floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In what seemed like minutes the two of them were back at the farm, the house’s windows the only source of light. Varian gulped, slowing his pace, but was forced along by Hector’s insistent hand. As they approached the house Varian saw Adria, the woman sitting on the front step, her back against the doorframe of the main entrance to the building. She was sharpening her sword, pouring over a map of some kind on the ground before her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up as Varian and Hector approached, her eyes narrowing at sight of her wayward nephew.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” She said flatly, “So you found him.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was obviously directed to Hector, who merely nodded. “He was out in </span>
  <em>
    <span>town</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Hector said sullenly. Adria’s reaction was minimal, a small widening of her eyes, but Varian knew his aunt well enough that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was a reaction enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, must have misheard you. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>where</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” She said, standing to her full height. Her eyes were focused on Varian alone, and he knows the question was directed at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because it sounded like you said he was in town.” Adira continued, “And we both know that he would be a dead man if that were true.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian prayed to every god available that the earth would just swallow him up, that he could just disappear before the two of them. He refused to meet the glare Adira fixed him with, glancing away every time she tried to catch his eye. Ruddiger looked up at Varian with fear, and the boy found himself mimicking the expression. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t in tow-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Varian don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare</span>
  </em>
  <span> lie to us right now.” Adira said harshly, all patience gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian flinched at her tone, feeling very small in the face of his auntie’s ire. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was in town.” He mumbled, staring intently at the ground. Something in his gut wrenched at the frustrated look on Adria’s face, the woman sucking in a deep breath through her teeth. Her fist clenched around the hilt of her sword, and for one second Varian was sure she was about to swing it into the wall in a rage.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Interesting.” She finally grit out. “Very interesting.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian could feel his soul leave his body.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go inside.” Is all Adria finally said, fully pushing away from the doorframe. “Your father wants to speak with you.” She brushed past Varian, going to stand shoulder to shoulder with Hector.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hector released the back of Varian’s shirt, and the boy looked up at his aunt and uncle. The pair of them wore twin looks of disappointment and frustration, neither of them meeting Varian’s gaze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>R̵̝̊ü̸̥ṉ̸́ ̷̤̎A̴̰̍w̵͔͘a̴̲͠y̴̮͠</b>
  <span> said the voice once more, quiet again but making a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> good case. Varian has half a mind to do it, to just turn tail and sprint back into the woods, to live as a feral forest man with his raccoon for the rest of his life-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Inside</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Varian.” Hector growled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian stepped forwards, cracking the door open and slipping into the main hall of the house. Ruddiger saw his chance, scurrying up onto Varian’s shoulders just before the door shut behind him. All the torches were lit, their warm light doing nothing to relieve the chill of dread within him. Hector and Adria remained outside, as they always did when Varian got into </span>
  <em>
    <span>serious</span>
  </em>
  <span> trouble. The last time he’d had to have a talk with </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> Quirin had been when Varian was barely sixteen, and had nearly burnt down the house during an experiment.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something told Varian this </span>
  <em>
    <span>talk</span>
  </em>
  <span> was going to be much worse than that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian could see into the kitchen from the front hall, including the slouching figure of his father sitting at the kitchen table, a steaming mug of </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> sitting untouched in front of him. Varian felt a rock slip into his stomach at the sight of it, a deep weight that settled deep in his gut. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Guilt</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he knew, from seeing Quirin so wrecked over Varian’s disappearance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy took a hold of his pet gently, setting Ruddiger down onto the stone floors and gently motioning him up the nearby stairs. “Upstairs, bud.” He encouraged, “I’ll be there soon.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raccoon merely looked between Varian and the kitchen, then back to Varian, and then finally to the stairs. The boy made a little waving gesture, and finally the raccoon began to waddle his way up to where Varian knew his bedroom waited for him. With a sigh he turned back to the kitchen, and began his death march.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian silently walked into the kitchen. The room was aglow with the lights of multiple candles, but still dark enough that Varian couldn’t see his father’s face, Quirin slouched the way he was. The boy took the seat across from his silent father, the scratching of the chair’s legs against the stone floors echoing in the quiet between the two of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian fidgeted in the quiet, picking at his gloved hands and waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was a thick silence between the two of them, Quirin not looking up from the full cup in front of him. The tension was palpable, so dense you could cut it with a butter knife. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dad, I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What were you thinking?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin cut Varian off with a harsh tone, the man finally looking up. Varian can see the stress’s toll on Quirin’s face, the man looking nearly manic in the candlelight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted-” Varian began again, only to be cut off again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right, what you </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Quirin finally met his son’s eyes, Varian flinching slightly at the anger there. “What you </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> was to put yourself in danger, to put this entire </span>
  <em>
    <span>family</span>
  </em>
  <span> in danger. Was it worth it, Varian?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because I sure hope it was. Worth it, I mean. And I hope it’ll be worth it when this comes crashing down on all of us because of your recklessness! Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be taken away, is that it? Have we really done so badly as guardians that you’d let yourself get stolen away from us?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian sank deeper into his chair, slouching at his dad’s tone and refusing to meet his eye. Quirin bristled, slamming his hand down onto the table. Varian jumped at the loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>bang</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and Quirin’s cup rattled on the table top. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did anyone see you?” Quirin said, his tone dangerous. Varian shrugged, focusing on a very interesting part of the wall. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Varian</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Quirin’s voice got even more angry, and Varian can tell he’s playing with fire. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Did. Anyone. See you.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does it even matter?!” Varian shouted, frustration finally taking over. “Nothing even happened, I just wandered around town like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> person for once in my life, is that such a crime?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin’s face went red, and if Varian weren’t in such a poor mood it really would be funny to see his father’s best impression of a tomato. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It</span>
  <em>
    <span> matters</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Quirin began, “Because if anyone figured out what you are, what you can do, then it’s only a matter of time before someone finds us-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you even know someone’s out there looking?” Varian spat, finally looking his father in the eye. “I walked around that town for hours and didn’t get looked at twice. You’re being </span>
  <em>
    <span>paranoid</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin fixed his son with a glare, leaning forwards in his chair. “Do you think I like doing this Varian? Do you think I like hiding away like a coward in the woods, keeping you here? Because I don’t, I can promise you that! But I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have to</span>
  </em>
  <span>, because there are people out there that won’t stop until they get their hands on the Moonstone, and on </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And if that’s true then </span>
  <em>
    <span>where are they</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!” Varian snapped back. “Maybe it’s not worth it to be safe if I’m miserable all damn day! I just want to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> dad why can’t you just see that I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“YOU’LL NEVER BE NORMAL!” Quirin thundered. Varian shrank back at his father’s shout, shocked at seeing the man actually lose his temper. Quirin was nothing if not diplomatic, so to see the man </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> furious…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well it was certainly a first. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The large man took a grounding breath, holding it for a second before letting it go in a big puff of air. Quirin unclenched his fists and seemed to think about his next words </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> carefully.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll never be normal, Varian.” Quirin repeated in a calmer voice. “Like it or not, that’s just the way it is. You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>extraordinary, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but there are people out there that will want to take advantage of that. Please, try to see this from my perspective, from Adira’s and Hector’s as well. We just want you to be safe, and for that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> leave-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to be safe!” Varian roared, unwilling to back down, “I want to be a part of the world, dad, I want to see new places, meet new people! I’m eighteen, I’m an adult, and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t just keep me here</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a sudden </span>
  <em>
    <span>crack</span>
  </em>
  <span> of breaking wood the floor burst apart behind Varian’s chair, black rocks springing up from underneath the house. Varian could feel how his hair lifted from the back of his neck, the blue light emanating from it bathing the kitchen in an eerie glow. Quirin’s eyes widened, the man backing away from the table in concern.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Varian</span>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> stop this!” He ordered, stepping to the side as a spire of rocks tore through the floor under his feet. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Varian</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy merely glared, standing from his chair without fear. The voice within him cackled in glee, a sudden cold burst down his spine as Varian unleashed the power of the moonstone within him. His vision was white, the light he knew coming from his eyes always made it hard to see. The boy felt the pull of the Moonstone inside him, calling out to the rocks deep under the earth. Varian began to feel as if he were being swept away in a tide, his thoughts growing fuzzy in the light of the sheer </span>
  <em>
    <span>power</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was when Quirin’s long fight for patience finally hit it’s breaking point, the man forcing himself into his son’s space, that Varian was drawn back to himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Enough</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Quirin said firmly, putting both hands on Varian’s shoulders and gently shaking him. “Varian, that’s enough.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy let out a little gasp, his hair dropping down into gravity’s hold. Varian shook himself, dazed in the light of the moonstone’s grip. Quirin merely used his hold on his son, to begin dragging him out of the kitchen, away from the rocks. Varian shrugged off his grip, pushing roughly at his father’s hand. The pair were back in the front hall, near the stairwell, but Varian refused to back down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin merely turned, facing the boy he barely recognized. Varian was staring at the floor, tearful and shaking and so, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry</span>
  </em>
  <span> that it was a shocking thing to see from the kind boy he knew his son was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You said one I learned control, you'd let me go.” Varian whispered, “Was that a lie?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quirin wouldn’t look at him. It was answer enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Varian turned on his heel, leaving his father to wallow as the boy ran upstairs. The alchemist gasped for breath as he barreled into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him in a final bout of violence. The tears were hot in his eyes, burning as he held them back. Ruddiger hissed in surprise, but after seeing Varian’s state the raccoon knew better than to approach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian could feel himself begin to splinter, the sudden rush of mistrust and </span>
  <em>
    <span>betrayal</span>
  </em>
  <span> all encompassing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His father, and probably Hector and Adira now that he thought of it, had been lying to him for eighteen years. For all their preaching about control, about bending the rocks to his will, they’d never believed he could do it. And then they’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>lied</span>
  </em>
  <span>, using the fact that he’d probably never meet their expectations as a way to keep him under their thumbs, to keep him isolated and alone on this stupid, awful farm </span>
  <em>
    <span>forever</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian finally broke, the tears spilling over onto his cheeks as he gasped for breath. His chest stuttered with hitching sobs, blue eyes slamming shut to stay the well of tears.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How could they do this to him? They were his family, couldn’t they see how alone Varian was because of all this? How isolated he felt, how desperate he was to escape?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How could they look at the way they had raised him and be okay with that?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian let out a yell, swiping a myriad of quills, books, and paper off his desk, the items going flying in every direction. With a great </span>
  <em>
    <span>crunch</span>
  </em>
  <span> he could hear the rocks growing outside, the farm animals braying in panic in their stalls. Adira and Hector were shouting from inside the house, exactly what Varian didn’t know nor did he care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The alchemist let out a sudden puff of breath, determined to get a grip on himself. Varian clenched his fists, reaching deep inside himself to where the Moonestone’s power lay, dormant and asleep. He mentally grabbed at it, bullying it into submission in a way that he’d never really tried before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“E̶̫̽n̵͙͠o̴̢͒u̴̼͘g̶̪̕h̷̪̿</b>
  <span>”He spat, forcing the power under his thumb. Outside the quiet was deafening, the whole farm stunned into silence. The rocks had stopped growing, Varian knew, settling into their new positions. He wiped furiously at his tears, his own misery balling up into something hard and </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry</span>
  </em>
  <span> in his gut.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Control</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they wanted bloody control did they? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well Varian would show them </span>
  <em>
    <span>control</span>
  </em>
  <span>, even if it was the boy finally taking the reins of his own life in his hands. Varian stalked across the room, tearing his closet door open and throwing things behind him in his search, things going flying across the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah-ha!” He grunted, pulling out a backpack from the depths of the closet. Without any preamble he began to shove things into the backpack, clothing, alchemy supplies, a few other odds and ends. Ruddiger let out a curious chitter, crawling closer now that his human had calmed down at least a little bit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here we go, Ruddiger.” Varian said, shoving items into the blue backpack without any real plan. “We’ll just… go on a little adventure. I’m an adult now, so technically dad can’t stop me, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raccoon looked concerned, to say the least. He let out a little coo at Varian, trying to take a shirt out from the backpack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, hey,” Varian said, gently taking the shirt back and putting it back into the overstuffed backpack. “It’ll be fine. We’ll come back home eventually, we’re just going to go prove to dad that I can leave the farm and come back in one piece. He’s overprotective, we just have to show him I can take care of myself.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger didn’t seem convinced, his big eyes peeking out from under his fur. Varian was undeterred, forcefully closing the bag shut and tying it closed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just… i don't know where to go.” Varian finally said into the silence of the room. “Maybe we’ll just pick a direction and just start walking?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>F̵̱̈́i̶̤̋n̷͎̆ḑ̶̋ ̶͗͜t̷̺͂h̸̯͆e̷͙͊ S̸̱̲̰͌̐̆͊̿̿̑̃̐̃̅͝͠u̷̡͕͙͚͈̺͍͉͚̣̠̱̤̳̪͇̪̐̓̽̔͊̏́̎͝n̴̛̞̻͔̩̹̗̭̦̼̜̞͔͌͐̊̍̃͐̈́̿̍̽̊̓̿̉͆d̷̨̛̙̼̬̩̣̥͇̜̖̐̎̒̕r̴̡̭̘̖͈̙̭̦̊o̸͉̠͚͙͗͗͂̓̂̓͂͘p̷̨̡̖̫̬̻̥̟͕̦̯̯̤̮̋̈́̅̀̋́͑̀̇̄̚̚ </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perfect!.” Varian agreed, “If I can find the Sundrop maybe I can ask her for help with the Moonstone…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger let out an encouraging chirp, hesitantly climbing up into Varian’s arms. Varian chuckled a little, scratching at the raccoon’s favorite spot between his ears. This was perfect, if Varian could reach Corona, and if he could get in touch with Princess Rapunzel, maybe she could help him? She surely knew how to control the Sundrop’s powers, she must have at least some way to help Varian control the Moonstone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But how would he get there? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian let out a small huff, setting the backpack down and sitting on his bed. Ruddiger jumped out of Varian’s arms and bounced on the sheets, chittering in joy. Varian didn’t really know the way to Corona… he was nothing if not an </span>
  <em>
    <span>unseasoned</span>
  </em>
  <span> traveller. He’d need a guide, probably, especially for such a long journey. Varian shoved a hand into his pocket as he puzzled, idly fiddling with the piece of parchment inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wait.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.” Varian said in thought, pulling the page he’d stolen from the blond boy in town earlier today. “That could work.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The asshole from town </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> said he was headed towards Corona, after all, maybe for the right price he would accept a travel buddy. As irritating as he was, the stranger seemed street smart enough to escort Varian to Corona without too much trouble, surely? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Varian said, game plan in place. He’d have to leave soon, it was already late into the night, and he knew the boy in green would be leaving in the morning. Varian stood from his bed and snatched his backpack up, holding out an arm for Ruddiger to dutifully climb up and onto Varian’s shoulders once again. The raccoon let out a coo, burying his face into the side of Varian’s neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian took a deep breath, adjusting the weight of the pack, and quietly opened the door to his bedroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was dead silent in the hallway of the upper floor, but that didn’t mean Varian didn’t have to be careful. He crept through the hall and down the stairs, but he saw he didn’t need to worry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Near the front door was a strange rack, one that Varian knew Quirin himself had built when they’d first moved to the house. On it were three perfect swords, all made of the same black rocks that Varian had struggled with his whole life. Hector’s, Adria’s, and then Dad’s swords all hung in a perfect line, the three of them styled the same but still personalized. Quirin had demanded that there be no weapons in the house, so he’d built the rack to house them, and ordered that if they were going to be in the house the swords would </span>
  <em>
    <span>stay</span>
  </em>
  <span> on that rack.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If the swords were there, it meant that all three of Varian’s guardians had turned in for the night. The only times Varian had seen all three blades together were times like this one, where Varian was the only one awake in the house. Typically it was after a late night in the lab, or a brief excursion down to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian had never taken himself as the kind of kid who would run away from home, but... </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Varian could get out and off the farm, he would be free and clear until at least the morning, maybe even the afternoon if they thought he was sulking in his room. Something in him was lighter at the idea, at the idea that this might </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> work. Varian passed the hanging swords, gently prying the front door open and slipping outside into the evening.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was quiet, in the late night. Crickets chirped, and the world was awash with the white light of the full moon. The trees surrounding the clearing gently swayed in the nighttime wind, the forest peaceful in the quiet of the late hour.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian closed the door behind him with a quiet </span>
  <em>
    <span>click</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the lock, walking out into the gentle evening. He stepped off the stoop, jumping down onto the gravel path and scurrying towards the main exit of the clearing. When he hit the threshold of the farm for the second time that day, he couldn’t help but pause once more. With a small twist he turned to look back towards his home, the dark silhouette of the building looking quaint in the moonlight. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian fidgeted a little, picking at his gloves with nerves. If he did this…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No turning back.” He whispered to himself, reaching deep into his own convictions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>C̴͔͇̜̒͌̔o̵̥͗̽͝m̵͈̗̝͂͆e̸͎̊ ̶̡̪̓S̵̳͉͖̿ẻ̸͚̠͕̌̌ē̵̤</b>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Moonstone whispered into the silence of the evening, </span>
  <b>C̴̮͙̈̓͝o̶͉̚m̷̜̹̱̆͐̕ȇ̵̛̝̮͋ ̸͔̞̟̈́S̶̛̤̜̻͑̈́e̶̥̳̻͂͗̍e̴̺̻͍̒̔ ̶̰̤͇̿̈́Ẉ̵̐ḫ̶͒͝a̸̞̺͗͜t̴̰̍ ̷̢͎̗̌W̶̡̥̓ë̴̬̀͑ ̵͙͈͊̀̚C̵̛̙͙͊a̵̛̮͎͌̕n̴̞̣͍̒̋̚ ̵̳̒̍̄D̷̠̟̰͝ǭ̶̞̫͛ ̵̡̡͕̈̕T̵̯͚̉o̴̙͎̓̍͆g̷̢̈̇̎e̷͔̤͛̓̓t̷̰̆̅ȟ̷̭͠e̵͕͚͆ṛ̷̓̒̕.̴͕̥̑̈́̌</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Varian, after eighteen long years, finally agreed. “Show me what you’ve got.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And as he took the first steps outside his family’s estate, Varian couldn’t help but laugh under the light of the moon.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all, happy Monday!! We get our fist meeting with Hugo ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. But Man Am I Bad At Math</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Varian and Hugo strike a deal. The pieces are set, and the game begins!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The crowd at The Double Glass Inn were certainly an </span>
  <em>
    <span>interesting</span>
  </em>
  <span> bunch, in Hugo’s opinion. Even as he shoved his food into his mouth, the blond couldn’t help but notice as the patrons of the tiny town’s only inn became more and more rowdy into the evening, the lot of them drunkenly singing off tune shanties and songs that made Hugo wish he were deaf.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The layout of the inn was simple, the downstairs portion being one large, open space with a square of bartop in the center, crowded as hell on such a busy night. It was old, but well maintained, the ancient wood of the floor boards lovingly polished and the bar kept impeccable. People milled about, drinking and chatting with their fellows, slowly becoming the drunken rabble common on a weeknight. Hugo preferred the table he’d sequestered away, pushed up against the far wall near a large fireplace. He’d been keeping to himself all day, save for the little back and forth with the boy in the marketplace, and for good reason. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Donella had more than a few enemies skulking around the Seven Kingdoms, Hugo knew, and it wouldn’t do him any favours to blow his cover too quickly.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo adjusted his glasses casually, shoving them up the bridge of his nose as the other patrons drunkenly started another chaotic rendition of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bring Us in a Good Ale</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He sipped at his water as they </span>
  <em>
    <span>once again</span>
  </em>
  <span> lost track of the lyrics, the bunch of idiots debating for a second before launching back into the start of the song. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What Hugo wouldn’t give to be out of this stupid, backwater town. If Donella hadn’t wanted that formula from </span>
  <em>
    <span>Practical Alchemy</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hugo wouldn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span> of going this far into the boonies of the Dark Kingdom, or what was left of it. When Donella “asked” for things, though, it was usually wise to just shut up and do it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo only vaguely noticed the door open and close on the other side of the smelly bar, the throng of bodies covering whoever it was that had entered. Hugo’s green eyes continued to drift across the crowd, focusing on a sudden flash of blue through the rabble, the bright colour sticking out in the sea of brown tunics and cream linens that were favoured during the hot summer months. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo turned back to his dinner, idly pushing it around with disinterest. God, what he wouldn’t give to be back in Corona, now </span>
  <em>
    <span>there</span>
  </em>
  <span> was a city that knew how to cook-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sudden movement in front of him caught Hugo’s eye, and the blond looked up to see an unfortunately familiar face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello again,” Said the goody-two-shoes from earlier that afternoon, the one who had threatened to sick the guards on Hugo over a stupid piece of paper. The younger boy slid out the chair across from Hugo at the solitary table. The shorter boy’s smile set Hugo on edge, he could </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> the gears turning behind those blue eyes. The kid’s pet raccoon glared at Hugo from Goggle’s shoulder, and it did </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> to ease Hugo’s mood as the kid took the seat across from him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy’s head tilted, waiting for an answer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fancy seeing you here, Goggles.” Hugo replied, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. “Did you ever get the guards to agree to arrest me?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy pouted, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>god dammit </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hugo felt the stirrings of interest somewhere deep in his gut, but shoved it down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I never did try,” Blue eyes admitted, his eyes flicking around nervously. “So I guess you’re safe.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This one’s up to something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Hugo’s thoughts shouted, but Hugo couldn’t help but laugh. For someone this innocent looking </span>
  <em>
    <span>up to something</span>
  </em>
  <span> was probably nicking a pastry from his mother. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I can’t say I don’t appreciate the change of heart.” Hugo shrugged, shoving some of his dinner into his mouth. It really was bland, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ugh</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blue eyes shifted, seemingly uncomfortable in the bar. Hugo noticed as he startled at the door opening and closing once again. Finally the boy huffed out a breath, fixing Hugo with a determined look. Hugo looked at him with exasperation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wanted to ask you something,” The younger boy said awkwardly, and Hugo could see him picking at his gloves in what had to be an anxious tick.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I only do over-the-pants mouth stuff-” Hugo said blandly, the joke getting cut off by the younger boy going red and throwing his hands up into Hugo’s face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Goggles shouted, flushing tomato red at the implications. “No- not like that, what I- </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>, no, okay-” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo laughed as the teen in front of him short-circuited, spluttering at the sheer </span>
  <em>
    <span>implication</span>
  </em>
  <span>. What an innocent little cinnamon roll this kid was. Hugo would almost feel bad for him if he hadn’t already proven to be such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pain in the ass</span>
  </em>
  <span> earlier that day. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“-</span>
  <em>
    <span>No</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that is not what I want to ask you.” Goggles finally got a grip on himself, smacking a hand down onto their table. Hugo could feel his mouth twist into a smirk. He gestured for the other boy to </span>
  <em>
    <span>go on then</span>
  </em>
  <span>, with his fork. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You said you were going to Corona, right?” Goggles starts, looking around shiftily. “I want to go with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo couldn’t stop himself from letting out a loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>ha!</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the noise swallowed up by the din of the bar around them. Goggles seemed offended that Hugo was finding comedy in his request, but Hugo couldn’t find it within himself to care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Listen,” Hugo said with a roll of his eyes, “I’m sure that you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>super excited</span>
  </em>
  <span> to go off on an adventure or whatever, but I’m not gonna get caught dragging some kid around like a puppy. If you want to go to Corona so badly, get your parents to take you-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m eighteen! Not a kid! But… well my guardians don’t exactly know I’m here…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goggles looked guilty enough for it to be true. Hugo was a little impressed at least, the kid didn’t seem the type to actually try and run away from home. But, well, Hugo would be the first to tell you that appearances could be deceiving. Fact still stood, however, that if Hugo took Goggles with him there’d potentially be at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> angry parent calling for Hugo’s head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Either way,” Hugo says with a flourish of his fork, “I’m not taking you to Corona, so you’d best go try and convince someone else.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what about this, then?” Goggles said with a glare, pulling out a sheet of paper-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo’s hand flew down to his pocket, frantically checking and finding only empty space. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh that little shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goggles smiled sweetly, cocking his head to the side. “Maybe you’re a little more amicable to talking now?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>God</span>
  <em>
    <span>damn</span>
  </em>
  <span> that’s hot-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nope, nope, bad Hugo, we’re not going there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...Maybe at a later date.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not worth it,” Hugo bluffed, shrugging his shoulders. “I can always go get another copy.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>couldn’t, seeing as </span>
  <em>
    <span>Practical Alchemy </span>
  </em>
  <span>had been out of print for over a hundred years. Maybe he could snatch the paper from Goggles once the boy had his back turned. Goggles fixed Hugo with a calculating look, searching for something in Hugo’s expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Goggles turned around and threw the paper into the fire behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo let out a choked noise as the paper burnt to a crisp in the blink of an eye. Blue eyes met his own, and the younger boy in front of him merely put both elbows onto the table and rested his chin on interwoven fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I memorized it,” The boy said with a smirk, “You want the information that was on it to reach Corona? You’re taking me with you.”   </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo scowled, because cute or not he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>this close</span>
  </em>
  <span> to strangling the kid in front of him. He weighed the options, take the kid with him or face Donella’s wrath… well it wasn’t really much of a choice was it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” He finally bit out through clenched teeth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goggles smiled, real and genuine, and stuck one of his gloved hands across the table for a shake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pleasure doing business with you…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hugo.” Hugo muttered, taking the hand and giving it a firm shake. Goggles nodded at the name. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hugo,” He repeated to himself, “My name’s Varian. I’m sure we’ll work well together.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo had never been so annoyed in his </span>
  <em>
    <span>life</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian had never been so excited in his </span>
  <em>
    <span>life</span>
  </em>
  <span>! They’d left Carleone in the dust a few hours ago, at the very break of morning, Hugo and Varian loading up a caravan that Hugo had said was on loan from his mentor, whoever that was. Varian would assume they were the person who needed the page from the book he’d burnt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Whoops. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The caravan was small, made for at the maximum two people. It housed a small set of bunks, a tiny little storage section, and Hugo had modified half of it to be something of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lab on wheels</span>
  </em>
  <span>, filled to the brim with alchemical supplies. The caravan was painted a simple blue-grey, unassuming and subtle. The roof of it was mostly flat, save for one skylight in the very top. Hugo had shown Varian that it could be opened from the outside, in case of emergencies.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>  Varian had taken the time to unpack his stuff, shoving his chemicals into the much safer caravan instead of carrying them on his back, but he still kept hold of the essentials </span>
  <em>
    <span>just in case</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Hugo had also shown him their </span>
  <em>
    <span>backup</span>
  </em>
  <span> measure, a single iron sword, old and pretty cruddy but solid, tucked away under the driver and passenger bench at the front of the caravan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d left town at the crack of dawn, leaving Carleone in abject silence. Hugo seemed pretty bitter at Varian managing to force him into bringing the younger boy along, but it was too late now. The page was burnt, and Varian was the only one who knew what was on there. They’d had a relatively quiet afternoon, neither really saying much, but it was certainly interesting to look around from the passenger side of the caravan’s driving bench.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian was ecstatic at all the new sights! He’d seen his very first waterfall, and his first deer, and something that Hugo called a </span>
  <em>
    <span>waysign</span>
  </em>
  <span> which was used by travellers to find their ways to different cities-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was all a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian and Hugo hadn’t really spoken for most of the first day,  and the next </span>
  <em>
    <span>week</span>
  </em>
  <span> after that, but halfway through day eight they came to a fork in the road. They’d stopped for a second, Hugo looking suspiciously at the sign.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The road split into two paths, one going up into a mountainous area, and the other continuing forwards into the wood. Varian looked at the mountain path with skepticism, eyes flicking from the craggy trail and back to their horse, whom Hugo had said was named Dolos, dutifully pulling the caravan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Which way?” Varian asked, holding a hand out for the map they’d been following. Hugo passed it over with little fanfare, the blond having memorized it ages ago. Donella’s plan for his route was supposedly the best, and he intended to follow it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The one on the left,” Hugo said, gesturing to the mountain path. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian’s face soured at that, looking at the path with trepidation. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” He said softly, “What about Dolos? He could get hurt!” Varian leaned forwards and patted gently at the horse’s flank. The dirt brown animal let out a whinney, as if he agreed with Varian. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>G̷̻̭͗͛͠ͅo̴͎̟͇̓̓̆ ̷̭̩͂́R̸͚̻̩̫̐͗i̴̻͌g̶͈͎̔h̴̳͎͛̿t̸͓̺̳̓͐͗</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian startled at the soft brush of the voice along his psyche, but turned to the right path, easily the simpler road to travel by.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think we should go right.” The boy said, the words escaping before Varian could think about them. Hugo fixed him with a confused look, eyes flicking down to the map on Varian’s lap. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, Goggles, the map says </span>
  <em>
    <span>left</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Hugo snarked, pointing a gloved finger down to their path. He tapped at the paper, making it rumple in the wind. “See, </span>
  <em>
    <span>left</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And I thought you could read, silly me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian spluttered for a second, pulling the map to his chest. “Maybe the map’s wrong!” Vairan argued, “If the route isn’t working, we need to change it. We’re going to get hurt trying to force our way through the mountains-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And how would you know?” Hugo said, snatching the map from Varian. “You probably never left Carleone, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian glared at the other boy, but kept quiet. Hugo would </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> make fun of him if he knew the truth about Varian’s… </span>
  <em>
    <span>odd</span>
  </em>
  <span> upbringing. Varian felt himself sink down in his seat, tensing when he felt the Moonstone’s chill. He shoved it down, smothering it before it could escape. The Moonstone was oddly cranky, the past few days, a lot more insistent on being set free. Maybe it was because Varian had been keeping it under a </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span> tighter leash than normal, in the fear that Hugo would discover exactly what kind of passenger he was ferrying around. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So long as he kept control, Varian just wouldn’t have to tell Hugo about the Moonstone. Simple, in theory. If Varian could just keep his cool, it would all be fine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In theory.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian let out a little huff as Hugo gently snapped Dolos’ reins, urging the horse to the left path. It was a slow pace, Dolos slowly staggering his way up the start of the mountain path. The caravan immediately began to list to the left, and Varian heard the tell-tale </span>
  <em>
    <span>crash</span>
  </em>
  <span> of something made of glass falling over and shattering.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the Moon I hope that wasn’t the acid…” Varian grumbled, pinching at the bridge of his nose. Hugo side eyed Varian from behind his glasses, pursing his lips in offense.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, c’mon Goggles,” Hugo shrugged, “There’s no way that was the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sudden hissing noise came from inside the caravan, the two teenagers looking at each other in abject horror before Varian was jumping from the passenger side. He hit the ground easily due to how slow the caravan was going, and ripped the door open to see their floor covered in acid, the chemical quickly chewing through the varnish on the wooden floorboards. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, shit-” He gasped out, finding a vile of his go-to basic compound to neutralize the acid. The caravan stopped abruptly, and Varian could hear Hugo’s feet hit ground as well. Varian emptied the vial onto the acid, the green liquid turning a bright pink as the two mixed on the floor. Varian huffed in relief as the hissing stopped. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo’s voice drifted from outside the caravan, the other boy obviously unwilling to look at the face of his wrong choice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was it the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Varian griped, “It was the acid.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Ṡ̵̱̣͊h̵̛͍̻̳͐̽o̸̮̝͝u̵̦̪̦̘͛̽͝l̴̡̛̦̖̖̔̽́d̶̬̣͂ ̷̙̃̆̈H̷̡̠̫̙͊ä̶̹̻́̓͘v̸̌͋͜ẻ̶̝͍̘̼̉̏͘ ̶̳̈́̔L̵͈͇͆̔i̷̮s̷͖̎t̷̟̬̆͗ḛ̸̫͑͆̚n̶̼̲̤̾̈́e̶̡̗͑d̸͍͍̭̍ </b>
  <span>the voice laughed. Varian shook his head in frustration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted to go right.” The boy muttered, “So maybe if you just </span>
  <em>
    <span>shut up</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who are you talking to?” Hugo’s head finally popped into the caravan, expression suspicious. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No one!” Varian said awkwardly, “Uh- Ruddiger. Obviously.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raccoon took this time to chitter from where he’d been sleeping on Varian’s bunk. May the Moon bless the timing of that raccoon, even as he rolled around like a little lard ball and got his fur all over Varian’s bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo’s green eyes narrowed behind his glasses, but he finally shrugged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, whatever, weirdo.” The older boy said. “Let’s get all this strapped down better, then we’ll keep going.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just want you to know that you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>incredibly</span>
  </em>
  <span> frustrating.” Varian griped, refusing to look as Hugo shrugged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Hugo grinned back, turning tail and leaving Varian with the mess. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian huffed a sigh, already reaching for a broom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d only made it another few miles more before Dolos finally gave up on them, the horse finding a flat space along the path and stopping. The horse refused to move anymore, despite Hugo trying to bribe him with apples and coaxing words. They were up in the mountains proper by now, high walls of stone surrounded the paths and were becoming increasingly smaller the higher up they got. Hugo assured Varian that the caravan would fit, but Varian was beginning to have his doubts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The clearing Dolos had chosen to make his stand was at least flat, making it the best place to make camp they’d stopped at so far. Varian couldn’t help but want to back up the horse on this one.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s just stop,” Varian said from where he was still perched on the passenger side of the caravan. “We can get a fire going, set everything up, it’ll be a nice break.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have time for breaks,” Hugo argued, “Don- my mentor is expecting me back by a certain day. We don’t have time to sight-see.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dolos seemed to argue with that, the horse fully plopping down into a sitting position, not unlike a dog. Hugo let out an offended cry as the motion pushed at him, not enough to hurt but certainly enough to knock the blond off balance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, Dolos seems to think it’s time to stop, and I agree!” Varian laughed at Hugo’s offended expression. The blond tried once more to encourage the horse, tugging on his reins, offering treats, but Dolos stayed strong. The horse was </span>
  <em>
    <span>done</span>
  </em>
  <span> for the day, and that was more than enough for Varian. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo tried a few more times, but eventually just gave up. Hugo may have had a head of height on Varian, and probably twice the muscle mass, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>no one </span>
  </em>
  <span>was moving that horse until tomorrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“By the Maker! Fine, you mangy, flea bitten-” Hugo cut his own grumbling off as he stalked away from the horse, out into the nearby grove of trees to look for firewood. Varian took his chance to jump down from his seat. He wandered up close to Dolos, patting at the horse’s brown coat, gently settling him. Dolos preened at the attention, already used to it after a week of travelling with Varian as a second passenger. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re a good horse,” Varian whispered conspiratorially, pulling an apple from his pocket. Dolos looked at the boy with interest, Varian scooting up closer and offering it up to their travel companion. “I think you’re a </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> horse,” Varian’s tone took on a coo as he began to scratch at Dolos’ ears, the old horse letting out a delighted huff. Dolos took the apple, munching on it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re the </span>
  <em>
    <span>best horse</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian laughed, now using his new free hand to scratch as well. “Aren’t you, aren’t you?” He drew out the “ooo” at the end of the second </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, babying Dolos as he pet him. Varian used both hands to smoosh at Dolos’ head, making little noises as the brown horse nickered in amusement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will you stop? He’s going to get a big head.” Hugo called from the woods, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian merely shot a sassy look over to the trees, unsure as to where Hugo actually was. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> has to be nice to this good boy,” Varian declared, “And if it’s going to be me, then so be it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian didn’t need to see Hugo to know the older boy was rolling his eyes at him. Hugo eventually returned with firewood, and between the two of them they managed to get a meager fire going. It was a cold night, for the summer at least, and Varian could feel himself shiver a little as the sun set and the night took hold. Hugo seemed unaffected, the bastard, as he casually relaxed up against a boulder. They’d cracked open their supplies, settling on sausage for dinner tonight, since now there was time to let them cook. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian carefully held out his dinner over the fire, his sausage link speared by a stick he’d shaved the bark from. Hugo did the same, the two of them sitting in awkward silence. Hugo had seemed content to ignore Varian over the past week, but if they were going to be travelling together for a month to Corona, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> a month back home, then Varian thought they might as well </span>
  <em>
    <span>try </span>
  </em>
  <span>and get along. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So... uh.” Varian said over the crackling of the fire. Hugo looked up from where he’d been cooking his own dinner, unimpressed as Varian floundered for a topic. What did normal people even talk about, really? By the Moon, who would have thought that growing up with no one but his weird relatives to talk to would make Varian socially inept? What an absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>shock</span>
  </em>
  <span> it was! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How’s uh… how’s your food?” Varian said, a pinched smile on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo merely raised an eyebrow, looking down to his currently cooking meal… that he hadn’t started eating yet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>goddamnit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Varian mumbled, sufficiently over trying to make conversation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose and pushing his glasses up higher. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, I’ve got a question.” Hugo said, taking pity on Varian’s inability to carry a conversation. “What’s in Corona that’s so important that you’re willing to run away from home for it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian tensed at the question, trying to seem nonchalant in the flickering light of the fire. Hugo stared at him expectantly, obviously waiting for an answer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… well-” Varian started, floundering for a lie, “I. Um.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo smirked, and brought his sausage out from the fire. “So it’s a girl?” Varian’s cheeks started to burn, “No? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Boy</span>
  </em>
  <span> then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If Varian wasn’t busy burying his face into his knees he might have picked up on Hugo’s interested tone, but seeing as Vairan’s embarrassment at the question was a little busy </span>
  <em>
    <span>eating him alive</span>
  </em>
  <span> he didn’t really notice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Neither!” Varian squealed into his knees, “Shut up!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo laughed, quickly taking his food off the stick he’d used to cook it with and transferring it onto a plate with fast hands. “Simmer down, Goggles, didn’t mean to dig up your seedy love affairs.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian groaned, not looking up from where he buried his face into his knees. He let out a pained noise at his own misfortune. Ruddiger patted at the boy’s shin, whether in consolidation or in a play for food, Varian didn’t know. Varian finally looked up at Hugo’s stupid smirking face, and felt his own sink into a pout.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just going to… to </span>
  <em>
    <span>go</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Varian finally said, eyes breaking contact with Hugo and looking down to their fire instead. “I just. Okay, so my dad is really protective?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It came out as a question, but Hugo nodded as if he understood.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. So he </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> doesn’t think I can… I don’t know, handle myself?” Or the ancient god-power he embodied, but Varian was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to mention that. “And my auntie and uncle agree with him. So maybe if I can </span>
  <em>
    <span>show</span>
  </em>
  <span> them that I’m capable-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then they might start to trust you more.” Hugo said, expression unreadable. Varian nodded, grateful that at least Hugo could see where he’s coming from.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly.” He said. While it wasn’t the whole truth, it was close enough that Varian wouldn’t count it as a lie. At the end of the day the search for the Sundrop was secondary to Varian’s own need to prove himself to his guardians. He knew that somewhere out there some </span>
  <em>
    <span>grand destiny</span>
  </em>
  <span> lay, as the voices in his head had always told him, but if destiny wanted Varian so badly then </span>
  <em>
    <span>it</span>
  </em>
  <span> could come to </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo’s glasses flashed with the unstable light of the fire, the blond boy staring at it intently. He seemed unwilling to meet Varian’s eyes for a second, but then pointed into the flames with a casual gesture.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your food’s burning.” Hugo said flatly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah- </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian hissed, pulling his dinner from the fire in a panic. Hugo’s laughter rang through the clearing as Varian panicked, flailing slightly as the flaming remnants of Varian’s sad little dinner fell into the campfire, the stick burned though. Varian huffed as he grabbed another sausage, resigning himself to trying again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not very nice,” The younger boy said, sticking out his tongue at Hugo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, honey,” Hugo said, voice still hitching with laughter, “You haven’t seen anything yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian woke to the smell of brimstone. His nose scrunched in distaste, the boy cringing into himself a little bit at the general discomfort he was in. His blue eyes fluttered open, and Varian’s first instinct was to scream.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shot up from the ground he’d been laying on with a cry, noting that this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>decidedly</span>
  </em>
  <span> not where he’d fallen asleep. This was, </span>
  <em>
    <span>had to be</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a nightmare.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian found himself looking up into a starry sky, iridescent indigo swirls patterning the bizarre heavens in a swirling mess. All around him were </span>
  <em>
    <span>stars</span>
  </em>
  <span>, clusters of constellations and planets floating through an endless void. The ground below him swayed dangerously as he moved to stand, the boy flailing as his platform leaned dangerously to the left. Varian let out a little squeak of fear as it settled, the boy sinking back down into a crouch to stabilize his platform. A daring peek over the edge of his platform let him get a wonderful view of the gaping void underneath him, an endless pit that simply would swallow anything that fell into its purple jaws.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everything was bathed in a sea of rainbow hues, save for Varian himself. When he looked down he could see the teal blue of the Moonstone covering his skin, his clothes, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Varian was monochromatic, his whole body in varying shades of the Moonstone’s distinctive blue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian felt the nausea of motion sickness as things continued to move around him, something in him screaming to </span>
  <em>
    <span>run</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Run where, though, when his little island in the madness Vairan had found himself in was barely a few meters across? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could feel the fear growing, the icy chill spreading from within. Varian felt his hair begin to lift, the bright blue of the Moonstone’s power cutting through the incandescent light of the nightmare. Varian felt a surge of comfort at it; the familiarity was something to treasure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The stars around him swirled unnaturally, constantly shifting and realigning themselves into new patterns. Swirling clouds of colour floated haphazardly around, and Varian slammed his eyes shut to block against the rush of nausea he got when he stared at them too long. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When he opened them, he was no longer alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A woman, tall and thin, stood before him, bathed in the same blue colours as Varian himself. Her round face was pale, her big eyes set deeply into the skin. Long black hair cascaded down her back, nearly reaching the floors. Varian startled as he noticed that it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>moving</span>
  </em>
  <span>, tiny pinprick stars appearing and disappearing at random in the folds of her hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled at him, or at least tried to, her thin lips pulling up into something that </span>
  <em>
    <span>may</span>
  </em>
  <span> have been a smile if not for the hunger in her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello, my </span>
  <b>H̴͎̓͒͒̌̾͊͐͛̂o̶̺̱͍̓͋ş̷̭͕͚͕̓̐̓̓̀̈́͆͜ͅͅt̸̥͍̤̲͔̆̇̐̎͒̒̂͘ͅ</b>
  <span>,” She said, folding her hands in front of her demurely. Her voice was intimately familiar, almost as much as Quirin’s, or Adira’s, or Hector’s- </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian backed away as much as he could, stopping only when he found the edge of the platform. The woman remained where she was, standing across from him as her regal dress swirled around her despite the lack of wind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah, </span>
  <em>
    <span>woah</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Varian warned, backing away until one of his boots slipped off the edge and he nearly dropped into the void below. The boy let out a gasp, pitching forwards and away from the void. After regaining his footing he glared at the woman in front of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” She said, the smile widening in a way that was just a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pinch</span>
  </em>
  <span> too big to be natural, too sharp, too </span>
  <em>
    <span>inhuman</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>F̴̢̣͈̫̬͕̞͎͉̉̽ą̶͓͍̳͈͓̦̠͘ͅç̷̧͉͙͕̭̘͋͆̅ḙ̸̌</b>
  <span> to </span>
  <b>F̵̛̍͜͜a̸̖̤̠͕͗͛̚ċ̶̤̓ͅe̵̮̠͒̋̌̏</b>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian woke up with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>screech.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy sprung up from his bunk, falling to the ground with a harsh </span>
  <em>
    <span>smack </span>
  </em>
  <span>of skin on wood. Varian didn’t notice, scrambling up like a man on fire and sprinting for the door. He could hear Hugo snort awake and flail, but Varian didn’t care a bit as he ran to the treeline, dry heaving into the grass. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His chest thumped with the beat of his heart, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ba-bump</span>
  </em>
  <span> echoing in his ears as he nearly collapsed to his hands and knees. His hair glowed softly, fluttering in a wind that wasn’t there. Varian gasped as the nausea finally abated, the dry-heaves finally dying down into the occasional chest spasm. Varian dropped to his knees with a gasp, his chest fluttering as he desperately tried to get enough oxygen. Varian let out a small sob as he buried his fingers into the sweet, sweet, </span>
  <em>
    <span>stable</span>
  </em>
  <span> earth. The Moonstone was oddly quiet, subdued after his dream in a way it had never been before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he choked down more air Varian could feel his hair drop back down. The blue light faded, and Varian was left in the soft glow of the remnants of their campfire. Varian managed to lean back, releasing the death grip he’d had on the grass underneath him and sitting on his legs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Woah, Goggles, you good?” Hugo’s irritated tone floated across the clearing, but Varian still ignored him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Safe, safe</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Varian repeated to himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he’s safe, she’s gone, it’s okay.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To his embarrassment, Varian could feel tears begin to well up in his eyes. He hastily wiped at them, but they didn’t stop. Soon enough, Varian was sobbing into his hands, the boy trying to muffle his tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian tensed when he felt a hand on his back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hugo</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, uh.” Hugo said awkwardly, patting at Varian’s hunched back with an obvious awkwardness. “There… uh. There, there? It was just a dream.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian took a few more breaths, his chest heaving with a sob. He settled back into his position, fully putting weight onto his bent legs, his feet tucked up under him as well. Varian finally seemed to calm down enough that he wasn’t hyperventilating, but the tears refused to stop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I- what the hell, Goggles?” Hugo said, not angrily but legitimately concerned. “What was that about?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian opened his mouth to answer, but stopped short. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dream had been </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrifying</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he knew that, but now that he was being asked for specifics the details were slipping from his memory like water from a colander. No matter how desperately Varian tried to grasp at them he failed; and soon all he could remember was a iridescent haze and a threatening voice…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then </span>
  <em>
    <span>falling</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian shuddered at the feeling of his guts swooping out from under him. Hugo seemed to have felt it, through his hand’s place on Varian’s back, because Hugo’s thumb began to unconsciously rub little circles into the divets of Varian’s spine through his sleep shirt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian let out a final, weak sob. He rubbed viciously at his eyes, as if he could shove the tears away. Hugo’s hand tensed, and Varian felt it quickly leave his back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian looked over his shoulder to the other boy. Hugo was tense, looking at his hand with an offended expression like it had a mind of its own. The older boy didn’t even have his glasses on, having chased Varian right out into the cold of the morning the minute he woke up. Varian shivered in the chill, but Hugo merely stood from where he’d been crouched, the older boy uncaring of the winds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m… fire. Wood. Firewood. Yeah.” Hugo muttered to himself, standing and stalking off in the opposite direction of Varian’s breakdown. Varian sighed, of course Hugo wouldn’t want to deal with him when he’s such a mess, and Hugo shouldn’t have to deal with… well with </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian felt a small paw land on his arm with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pat</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He looked down to see Ruddiger, the raccoon looking up at his human with open concern. Varian wiped at his face again, sniffling as he picked up his pet and cuddled him close. Ruddiger cooed, snuggling under Varian’s chin as the boy buried his face into the raccoon’s coarse fur. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, buddy.” Varian mumbled, “Sorry if I scared you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ruddiger usually slept with Varian, only the Moon knows how the raccoon had reacted when Varian had burst out of bed like a bat out of hell. The raccoon didn’t seem too offended, merely chittering as he squirmed closer to his boy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hugo returned eventually, chucking a handful of kindling on the fire and starting to move around the camp. It was nearly sun-up, Varian now saw. The sun was only barely creeping over the horizon. Varian remained where he was for a while longer, taking in the gentleness of the morning. Hugo entertained himself in the meantime, hitching Dolos back up to the caravan and packing up their meager camp. The older boy disappeared into the caravan for a few seconds before re-appearing, dressed. He also, oddly enough, held Varian’s coat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a grunt Hugo dropped the jacket onto Varain’s head, muttering something about Varian being </span>
  <em>
    <span>no good to him sick</span>
  </em>
  <span>, before Hugo went back over to their campfire and flopping down next to it with an </span>
  <em>
    <span>ugh</span>
  </em>
  <span> noise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian took another deep breath before finally standing and awkwardly making his way over to where Hugo was coaxing the fire back to life. He idly threw his coat on against the chill of the summer morning, the fabric comforting with the smell of home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian quietly sat down near the fire, bringing his knees up to hug them tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you’re done now? Okay.” Hugo said, gesturing at Varian with a stick he’d been using to poke at the fire. “Wanna explain yourself?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Varian tensed, but finally sagged. Hugo deserved to know, didn’t he? It wasn’t fair to the other boy to hide something like the Moonstone, especially if they were going to be travelling together-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A sudden scared braying from Dolos drew both boy’s attention, the horse letting out a terrified noise at the sight of a massive, looming pair of shadows emerging from the woods on the far end of their clearing. Varian’s heart sank at the sight of the two people who had found them, one seated upon a horse and the other on top of a rhino. A sudden pulse of fear rushed through him, fast like lightning.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>“Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Varian said, tensing as he saw Hector and Adira enter the clearing.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Monday guys, gals, and non-binary pals! We're finally getting INTO IT!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Strong in The Elbows (But Weak in The Knees)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Varian gets caught up in family drama. Hugo makes a choice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hugo watched with caution as the woman on the horse dismounted, her feet barely making a sound as they hit earth. The man on the rhino followed her, the two of them stalking forwards into the clearing. Both boys scrambled to their feet, Ruddiger immediately making a break to run towards the caravan. Everyone in the clearing ignored the raccoon, too busy staring at each other in challenge. Hugo found himself backing up towards the caravan, thankful he’d remembered to hitch up Dolos when he had been looking for firewood.</p><p> </p><p> The woman stepped forwards first. Her back was ramrod straight; hands folded behind her back in a false casualness. Hugo knew better than to trust it, he saw the steel in that spine. The man was different, but just as concerning. His slouch and idle footing gave way to a feral energy, one that screamed <em>danger</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, nephew.” The woman with white hair said, stepping further into the clearing. “What a coincidence, finding you all the way out here.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian was as tense as a bowstring, and suddenly things clicked in Hugo’s brain.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, <em>nephew</em>?” Hugo shot at Varian, less asking and more just a general <em>you’ve-gotta-be-kidding-me</em> statement. Varian shrank under the ire of all three of them, the man with black hair glaring at Varian as well. Hugo’s not sure if the man was the dreaded <em>overprotective dad</em> or if he was Varian’s uncle, but from the looks of the rhino either way this was going to end <em>very badly</em> for Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s relatives were <em>intimidating</em> to say the least. Donella had always accused Hugo of being a little too willing to employ the <em>flight</em> half of <em>fight or flight</em>, but he got the impression that even she’d have issues with the pair in front of Hugo. The woman alone was imposing, the face paint covering half her face a ruby red. She had obvious muscle, even if it was hidden under the leather and fur armor she wore. </p><p> </p><p>The man, as well, was enough that Hugo would put him into the <em>don’t-mess-with</em> category at one glance. He was decidedly more armored than his sister, with a large fur cape that made him look nearly twice the size he was. His eyes were a vivid green, nearly manic under the dark rings painted around them.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo couldn’t help but look to Varian, and then back to the pair in front of him. How in the <em>hell</em> did such a short, scrawny, adrorab... <em>irritating</em> person come from a family that had people built like Varian’s aunt and uncle?</p><p> </p><p>Absolutely <em>wild</em>.</p><p> </p><p>There was a weird sort of standstill between the four of them, Varian and Hugo close to the caravan, <em>uncle and aunty dearest</em> standing across the clearing. No one dared to move, lest the quiet sort of lull they’d found themselves in be broken. The silence was heavy, nearly palpable between the four of them.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, so-” Varian started, and Hugo could already tell this is going to go <em>great</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re dead when you get home, you know that?” The man with black hair snapped, pointing at Varian with a gloved hand. Varian’s mouth snapped shut when his uncle spoke, curling into himself and stepping back. The man in black didn’t seem to be done, as he stepped forwards a little bit, glaring at Varian. “We’ve been looking for you for <em>over a week </em>all over <em>Hell's half acres</em>-”</p><p> </p><p>The woman put a hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping him. She fixed a smile in place, and Hugo could see Varian shudder.</p><p> </p><p>“We thought you’d been kidnapped.” She said with an edged voice. “We thought you’d been-” She cut herself looking at Hugo. Her eyes flicked between the two boys, as if something had just come to mind.</p><p> </p><p>“Does he know?” She hissed. Varian went even more pale, refusing to meet his aunt’s eyes as he shook his head. She seemed to relax a fraction at that, but if anything, Varian looked more stressed than before.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s eyebrow raised, it was obvious that there was something he wasn’t picking up on, by the way their first assumption when they’d found Varian missing was <em>kidnapping</em>. His thoughts raced; it was obvious that Varian didn’t want to go home yet. There was also the issue of the formula that Hugo needed to pry out of his brain to give to Donella.  </p><p> </p><p>Conclusion? Hugo had to convince these two to let them go.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, listen,” Hugo finally said, his mouth working before his brain could catch up. “It’s obvious that me and Hairstripe are fine, so-”</p><p> </p><p>“This is between family.” The woman said firmly, her eyes not leaving Varian’s panicked face. “Butt out.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian finally seemed to get a grip on himself, stepping forwards in front of Hugo. The sight of the smaller boy defending him was <em>hilarious</em>, to be fair, seeing as Varian was a full head shorter than Hugo was and probably weighed half as much as well. <em>My hero</em>, Hugo’s chuckled to himself.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not going back, Adira.” Varian said, a strange firmness to his voice that Hugo had never heard from him. “I’m going to come home when I’m ready, and not a minute before.”</p><p> </p><p>The woman, Adira, stiffened at that. Her glare turned icy. “Your father is looking for you.” She said, “And he’s worried sick. You’re coming home, <em>now</em>, and that’s final.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian stuck his ground, shaking his head. He seemed to relax now that he’d made his choice.  Hugo side-stepped past the smaller boy, hands up in a placating gesture.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, hey” Hugo said with a forced smile, “I promise I’ll bring him right home by curfe- ACK!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was cut off by the <em>whizz</em> of a blade flying past his ear. His breath caught in his throat as a throwing knife embedded itself into the wood of the caravan behind him with a <em>thunk</em>. The handle of the blade vibrated from the force of the throw. Hugo turned his wide eyes back to where Adira and the man stood, the latter of whom slowly stood from the lunge he’d used to throw the knife.</p><p> </p><p>“Hector!” Varian yelled, sounding almost offended. Ah, so the uncle was named Hector, then. Hugo would have to remember next time the man tried to <em>skewer him</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Hector himself merely shrugged at his nephew’s ire. Varian put his hands on his hips and seemed ready to dig in his heels. The pair across the clearing looked at each other, seemingly debating what to do. Hugo, from his place next to Varian, could see Varian reaching into his coat pocket.</p><p> </p><p>Oh, it was going to be like <em>that</em>, was it?</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shifted his weight slightly, chewing at the inside of his cheek in thought. He didn’t have much on him, seeing as they’d only just woken up, but if he could get to the caravan and get Dolos running, they’d have a good chance at outrunning at least the rhino. Varian, next to Hugo, merely waited as Adira and Hector finished their silent conversation.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re coming home.” Adira said once again, and Hugo felt himself tense as she and Hector began to march forwards. “No more discussions.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian stepped back, but finally took out whatever it was in his pocket, quickly throwing a small, green ball of glass towards the two coming towards him. It shattered on the ground near Hector and Adira’s feet, a small patch of slime coating their boots and hardening upon contact with the air. Adira let out an angry shout as Varian bolted, grabbing Hugo’s hand and nearly wrenching Hugo’s arm out of its socket as they ran for the caravan.</p><p> </p><p>Varian was up first, grabbing Ruddiger and scrambling onto the bench, Hugo right behind him. Hugo grabbed for Dolos’s reins hastily, snapping them. The horse needed no other instruction, bolting from the clearing with a frantic whinny. Hector let out a furious yell, screaming Varian’s name to the high heavens. Hugo chanced a look behind them, and saw the pair trapped to the ground, the woman chopping away at where her feet had been encased with a jet-black sword.</p><p> </p><p><em>What the fu</em>-</p><p> </p><p>“HUGO!” Varian cried, grabbing Hugo’s face and roughly turning it to face forwards once again, “The <em>left</em>! Go to the LEFT!”</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully the path forwards was mostly flat, Hugo jerking Dolos’ reins and forcing the horse to change tracks from where he’d been veering towards the right. Hugo could see how the path to the right would slow them and was grateful that Dolos would have a fighting chance. A large wall of rocks began to grow on either side of the paths as they proceeded, the trail cutting through a crack in the mountains.</p><p> </p><p>Both of them gasped for breath as they settled into their seats, Hugo urging Dolos to keep going as fast as he could. Varian gently shushed a chittering Ruddiger, leaning back to crack open the skylight of the caravan and depositing the racoon inside. He closed it, turning back to Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>“That won’t hold them for long,” Varian moaned, nervously wringing his hands. “Not… at all really. We need to hide, or, or, run or-”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Goggles?” Hugo cut him off, “How’s about you take a second to write down that stupid formula and I promise to be gentle when I <em>chuck you off this caravan</em>! I did <em>not</em> sign up for crazy, murderous aunts and uncles you little shit-”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t think they’d find us!” Varian shouted back, flailing from his place on the passenger side, “I thought they’d be too busy looking in town-”</p><p> </p><p>“Why the <em>hell</em>-” Hugo was cut off by the sound of frantic horse hooves, and the heavy <em>thuds</em> of footsteps made by something that was decidedly too big to be a horse. The pair of them turned slowly, looking back to see Adira approaching the caravan at top speed, easily going fast enough that she’d be on them any minute now. Hector followed close behind, his rhino slower than the horses but still keeping pace enough that he was gaining on Dolos.</p><p> </p><p>Dolos, for all he was <em>the best horse</em>, just couldn’t outrun another horse while pulling a caravan. Varian and Hugo slowly turned to each other from where’d they’d been staring at Adira’s approaching form with abject horror, the two of them wearing twin grimaces.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked ahead once more and noticed a path leading further up the mountain. It was off of Donella’s map, but if they could time it right then-</p><p> </p><p>“I have an idea!” Hugo said to Varian, “If we can lead them up the path to the left and block it off behind us, they’ll be trapped on this side. It’ll take them days to get around the long way!”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s eyes lit up, nodding. “I can go make one of my bombs inside, we can use it to cause a landsli-”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>VARIAN!</em>” Came a decidedly less than happy shout from Adira, the woman now so close that she was nearly able to reach the caravan. Varian tensed, but didn’t freeze up this time. Hugo kept his eyes mostly forwards, daring a look back as Varian jumped up from his place in the passenger seat. The smaller boy rushed forwards, intending to jump into the caravan through the skylight, but stopped as Adira <em>stood up</em> on the back of her horse, maintaining balance as she drew closer.</p><p> </p><p>With an impressive leap she launched off her horses’ back, landing firmly on the roof of the caravan and facing Varian. Varian crouched slightly as the angle from the caravan increased, Hugo directing Dolos up into the mountain path he’d pointed out before. Varian was running out of time.</p><p> </p><p>Adira stood tall, looking down the bridge of her nose at her nephew.</p><p> </p><p>“This needs to stop, <em>now</em>.” She ordered. Adira reached up and over on her back, drawing out her sword with a sharp <em>shing</em>. Varian blanched at the sight of it, scuttling backwards as she moved forwards.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo, the sword!” He yelped as Adria drew closer. She obviously wouldn’t harm him, her weapon was more of an intimidation tactic than anything, but Varian knew that without a weapon of his own he’d be pooched. Varian felt the caravan wobble dangerously as it raced over stones and uneven terrain. The boy was forced to focus on not falling clean off and onto the ground rushing past them.</p><p> </p><p>“The what?” Hugo shouted, distracted as he guided Dolos through the rough terrain.</p><p> </p><p>“The <em>sword</em>, give me the <em>sword</em> you idiot-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo seemed to click, reaching under the bench and tossing their only non-alchemical weapon towards Varian. The boy caught it deftly, turning just as Adira brought her own down near his side in an intimidating move. It was oddly familiar, the weight of iron in his hand while his aunt prowled in front of him like a deadly animal.</p><p> </p><p>The wooden roof lurched to the side once more, nearly knocking the two of them off balance. Hector crawled up with decidedly less grace, joining his family on the roof of the speeding caravan.  “You- guh, you’re <em>dead</em> when we get you home, you little shit.” Hector griped, pointing a finger at Varian as he gasped for breath. Hector finally stood upright, cracking his back, before fixing his nephew with a look.</p><p> </p><p>Varian tensed as Hector’s sword popped from his glove. Hector and Adria looked to each other once again, debating. Varian felt his stomach drop when Adira seemed to concede something to Hector, drawing back and putting her hands behind her back.</p><p> </p><p>“Get him.” Is all she said, and Hector <em>lunged</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a frantic yelp, bringing up his sword to block Hector’s blow. The man was undeterred, coming right back after every denial. Varian only just managed to deflect that as well, nearly being knocked to the side by the force of it.</p><p> </p><p>“Now, Hector, be gentle.” Adira said from the sidelines, “He’s only a <em>child</em> after all.”</p><p> </p><p>At the last bit she fixed Varian with a glare, which the boy returned wholeheartedly. Hector <em>did</em> let up, ever so slightly. Varian actually managed to dodge but fell with a cry when Hector managed to sweep his legs out from under him. Varian hit the wooden roof of the caravan with a <em>thud</em>, pain shocking from his shoulder as he landed on it. Varian looked up as Hector stalked over to him, leaning over the prone boy with a scowl.</p><p> </p><p>Hector reached down to grab at Varian’s collar, but another rough rumble sent all three of them swaying again as the caravan jerked violently. Varian panicked, looking around for <em>anything </em>that might work, when he was struck by the electricity of a crazy idea.</p><p> </p><p>The path they were rushing through was through a slim crack through two giant walls of stone, the sides of it reaching so high that Varian couldn’t see the top. Varian closed his eyes, connecting to the icy cold in his gut.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Ư̷̤͙̻̞̄̂̏́̒͐͐́̽̅̽͛͝ș̶̩̩́̆̌͛͛̃͐̑͠e̵̲͈̎ ̸̛̞̏̏̓̑͐Ö̵̪́̀u̵̟̹̣̺̦̥̬̫̗̫͙͕͎̹̿̓̓͛̋͐͂͒̿͒͒͌͠ͅr̷̡̨̜̩͔͔̜̲͖̼̀̂̋̑͝ ̴̛̳͐͊͛̽͠P̵̛̭̫͚͍̪̼̝͑́̓̂̎͝ȍ̸̧̮̙̈́̈́̇́̚ẅ̵̖̤͈̥̰̟̼͍̯̊ȩ̷̲̂̋̋̎͊͌͆̑̿͐̕͝͝͝͝r̴̡̨̭̟̥̥̍̏̉̅͋̀̈́̓̑̐̑̓͘̕̕</strong> the voice whispered, <strong>U̴̡͚̳͙̻̒S̷̬̔̈́͗̾̒̓E̶͙̾̑̽̿̌̎̔̌͌̈́̓̍̊͝ ̴̡̨͉̭͔̭̮͎͙̫̞͖̺̟̲͙̔̆͗͂̿͐͑̑̈́̏̐͌͐Į̴̛͚̗̥̜̘̠̊͐̔̋͋̏̎͂̅͠Ţ̵̫̽̀̎̒͂̾͠</strong></p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a fierce cry as the power of the Moonstone rushed through him, a black rock jutting out from the stone making up the wall of the path. The glowing rock clipped Hector, sending the man flying from the roof of the caravan with a yell that almost sounded offended. Varian sat up with a grimace, seeing his uncle bounce and roll to a stop in the dirt.</p><p> </p><p>Varian and Adira both watched as he stood, his figure steadily shrinking as the man shook his fist and yelled some <em>very</em> obscene words, the man nearly disappearing into the horizon as the caravan sped away.</p><p> </p><p>“Nice.” Adira said, honestly impressed.</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked to Adira in horror, and his aunt shrugged. His eyes turned back to where they’d left Hector in the dust, the weight of guilt settling onto him.</p><p> </p><p>“When you find him, tell him I am <em>so sorry</em>.” Varian said, noting the amused look on her face.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, he’ll be fine, just grumpy.” She said, “And you’ll be able to say sorry yourself- <em>woah!”</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>The caravan gave another violent jostle. Varian crouched low to the roof once more, watching with a grimace as his aunt slipped off the side to join Hector in the dirt.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry!” Hugo called from up front, “There’s like a <em>billion</em> rocks out here!”</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a little <em>ha</em>, looking back. Adira had picked herself up, glaring at him as she grew smaller. Varian’s heart sunk when he saw a familiar horse pull up beside his aunt. They weren’t out of the woods yet, it seemed. Adira’s horse had been following the caravan, and Varian groaned as his aunt jumped up onto it, drawing closer once again.</p><p> </p><p>“Goggles, it’s now or never!” Hugo shouted, and Varian turned to see that, indeed, their window for blocking off the pass was drawing closed. It was just a minute more before the caravan would escape from between the stone walls of the gorge, and their plan wouldn’t work.</p><p> </p><p>“I still need to make a bomb!” Varian yelled back, panicking. There wasn’t enough <em>time</em>, if they didn’t stop Adria and Hector now they’d just keep following until Varian was back with them. Varian’s heart raced; he was <em>not </em>about to give up this early into the game. The wind whipped past him, tossing his hair in every direction as Varian fumbled for a plan.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian!” Hugo cried, snapping Varian from his panic. “I don’t suppose you have any bright ideas left?!”</p><p> </p><p>Adira was mere meters away, gaining every second. Varian was out of time, unless he was willing to pull out the big guns. It was a last resort, but he knew what he had to do.</p><p> </p><p>Varian took a deep breath, feeling the stirrings of the Moonstone within him.</p><p> </p><p>“Just one,” Varian admitted, “But you have to <em>promise</em> not to freak out.”</p><p> </p><p>“What? Why would I ever-<em>by the Maker</em>!” Hugo shouted as Varian allowed the Moonstone to fully take over. Varian’s world went <em>white</em> with the power of it, the energy more consuming than it ever had been before. Varian felt his hair glow, standing up on its roots as it was underwater. He thrust both of his hands out with a cry, feeling the Moonstone <em>push</em> with all of his might, connecting deeply into the earth. The voice was deafeningly loud, ringing through Varian’s mind.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>S̵̡̢̧̡̛̰̞͉̼͎̰͔̗̥̙̣̗̣͖̻͎̳̖̰̝͚̣̥͍̬̣͓̏͋̉́̾̐͗̈́̈́͒͌̊͋̏̚ͅͅẻ̶̛͙̻̤̻͐̐̍̓͑̎̋̈́̃̾̿̆͑́̅̔͑̆̒́̓̑̌͛͑̎͛̈́̆̀̐̓̆̀́͛͂̑̐̅͋̓̽͑̚͘̕̚͝͠͠ͅt̴̡̧̫͇͙͍̼̹̥̟͚͓̝̬̩̩͈͖͕̱͇̫̥̫̝̭͔͇͙͈̪̦̱̗͕̬̦͉͎͈͖̭̗̙̰͓̦͈͉̹͚̽̿͛͆͑́̒͗͗̅̋͌̍̒̕͜͜͜͜͜͜͜͝͝ ̷̨̨̛̮̙̘̤̗̤̾̀̉̔̇̓͋̿͂̆̄̓̅̇̓̾̎͌̔́̏̓̽͒̈́̃̓̈͊̅͒͋̓̀͑̇̎̈́̚̚͘̕̚̕̚͘͝U̶̡̨̡̼̭̦̬̤̝̳̳̩͍̰͙̜͍̣̜̘͙͚͔̹͙̻͌̾͂͆͋̌͒̄̓͂̍̐͌͑̍̅̇͑̐͋̒̌̋͊̀̔͋̾͐̑̅͆̊̾̃̇̀̆̅̈́̈́͘̚͜͝͝͝ş̴̢̛̛̛̮̻̘̩̖̜̦̰̣̻̾̐͒̏̊̅͆͌͊͛̑̅̓͗͊͂̂̃̇̌̾͆̋̏̊͛̽̾͛̀̈̔̌̑̈́̓̔̒͋̊͆͛̋̍̎͑͘̕̕̚͜͝͠͝ ̴̨̡̛̛̞͇̲̳͔͎͔̜̫͚̼̫̻̪͉̺̼̮̝̻̬̥̘̺͈̥͉͍̱͇̘̱̼̜͔̠͈̬̩̙̥̠́̑͊̅̀̂̿̈̈́͑̂̈́̊̽̈́͌̈́̍̈͒̐̋̐͐͒̋̽̋̄̈́͛͆̌̓̅̍̅͋̾̔̆̀͆͆́̎͛͌̐͘͘͝͠ͅF̴̛̺̟͖̞̙̪̪̣̲͇͉̘̯̩͛̾̌̀͛̈́̇͋̿̈́̄̊͐̀̈́͛̃̌͌̌̐̔̐̂̒͘͘ͅŖ̴̧̡̨̨̢͕͉̬̰̥̹̺̟̩̖̱̙̥̪͇̫̙̰̘̟̝̖̤̭̬͖͕͎͈͖͈̗̠̯̮̦̜͈̯̻̳̦̣̮̤̠̬͖͇̝͙̠̺̋̍̅̂͌̕͜͜Ê̸̢̧̨̡̢̧̧̨̧̹̘̼̭͓͉̣̰͍̤̦͖̼͉͚̬̳̳͓̜̹̜̳̱̥̩̜̘͈͍̺̣̥͔̫̭̱̲̠͓̲̲͒̍͝ͅͅͅĔ̵̜̼̪͕͎̼̖̩̍̈̃̓̅̈͐͌͊̈́͆̈́̑͛͗̃̇̒̒̀̇͋́̒́̾͘̚͝</strong>  it screamed, and soon there was nothing but <em>white</em>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Varian slammed a foot down onto the roof of the caravan, feeling the energy sink deep into the ground below. The chasm let out a massive groan, the earth separating as a flurry of the black rocks burst violently from the ground. Varian let out an inhuman cry as he fell deeper and deeper under the Moonstone’s sway, feeling as if he were falling to the center of the planet, to the very core of the black rocks.</p><p> </p><p>He vaguely heard Adira cry out, a final shout of Varian’s name as she was forced to stop, the rocks blocking her path. Varian quickly lost sight of her in the chaos, but he knew she was smart enough not to follow through the rocks. </p><p> </p><p>Now to just block the rest of the way.</p><p> </p><p>Spire after spire burst through the ground, aggressively blocking off the path behind the caravan. Varian drew his arms higher, shaking with exertion as he coaxed more and more rocks out from the soil. The rocks slammed into each other, weaving a spider’s web of spikes that left almost no space between them.</p><p> </p><p>Dolos let out a frantic cry as the world around them shuddered, the ground shaking as Varian tore it apart at the seams. The boy let out another screech, bringing his arms up high above his head. With a deafening <em>crack</em> the very earth split, a massive pillar emerging and fully blocking the end of the path. Hugo watched in awe as it rose higher, the great spire reaching for the sky like a needle through fabric.</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked <em>otherworldly </em>like this, hair blue and waving in a current Hugo couldn’t feel, eyes taken over by an ethereal white glow. He didn’t look human, Hugo noticed with a start, pale and sallow and <em>ghostly</em>. Varian let out one last cry of effort, letting his hands drop as the rocks finally settled. A spire of black stone filled the end portion of the pathway completely; it would take <em>years</em> to dig out of there.</p><p> </p><p>Their caravan burst from the end of the path, out into a flatter portion of land on the other side of the mountains. The wind here was calmer, blowing the tall grass in waves that were softly rustling down the gentle slope of the hill. For now, they were safe, but Varian seemed to be completely out of it. The boy stood frighteningly still, his arms falling down flatly like a puppet with its strings cut. The sword clattered to the ground, falling from the roof to land in the dirt.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo pulled Dolos to a stop, scrambling frantically for the other boy.</p><p> </p><p>“Woah, Hairstripe, you okay?” He said, moving up onto the caravan’s roof and leaning in front of Varian’s slack body. Varian didn’t move, still caught up in whatever trance had taken over him. Hugo reached forwards to try and shake him but thought better of it. What did he do? This was so outside his comfort levels, Donella would know-</p><p> </p><p>Donella would want to hear about this.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo felt a sinking feeling in his gut. <em>Donella would want Varian if she heard about this</em>.</p><p> </p><p>They hadn’t been travelling together for long, so Hugo didn’t know why exactly the thought of Donella getting ahold of Varian made him feel nothing but dread. Varian was annoying, sure, and <em>grossly</em> overestimated his own capabilities, but there was no way he deserved the things Hugo knew Donella would do to him for the sake of <em>science</em>.</p><p> </p><p> Hugo shelved the thought for now, he’d return to it at a less pressing hour.</p><p> </p><p>The blond waved a frantic hand in front of Varian’s face. “Hey, Goggles, Hairstripe, <em>Sweetcheeks</em>, c’mon there’s gotta be some way to wake you up.” Hugo said frantically, finally risking a light pat to Varian’s face. “<em>Varian</em>!” He finally yelled, giving a frantic series of gentle slaps to Varian’s cheek.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo felt his heart stop when Varian let out a large <em>gasp</em>, blinking frantically as his eyes returned to normal. The flow faded from them, leaving behind Varian’s regular blue. The hair settled as well, fading back to its usual black. Hugo looked with relief as Varian focused his dazed eyes on Hugo, looking at him with confusion.</p><p> </p><p><strong>“Ḫ̴̾̎̏̊̈͝u̷̧͙̖͑̃͑͒̿͠ģ̸̹͕͓̮̣̃̔o̵̧̧̩̜̤͛̿̈́͌͘?̵̘̽̐̽̕͠”</strong>Varian slurred out, sounding nearly concussed.</p><p> </p><p> Hugo began to nod but stopped in favor of scrambling forwards to catch the other boy as Varian collapsed into a dead faint.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Varian took the better part of the day to wake up. Hugo had loaded his unconscious companion into the caravan and gotten back onto the road. It wouldn’t do to be found near such an… <em>obvious</em> magical occurrence. Hugo waited impatiently for Varian to wake up, stopping Dolos and checking on the smaller boy every half hour. Ruddiger refused to leave Varian’s side, the raccoon curling up and hissing when Hugo got too close.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually, though, Varian <em>did</em> wake up, stumbling from the caravan as if drunk around the midafternoon while Hugo had stopped for lunch.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, look who it is.” Hugo said from where he’d been feeding Dolos. “Sleeping beauty in the flesh.”  Varian had glared at him tiredly, but changed his tune soon enough when Hugo shoved a bowl of soup and a spoon into his hands.</p><p> </p><p>“You and I need to have a little <em>chat</em>.” Hugo said, forcing Varian down onto a log beside the fire. Varian went willingly, already scooping soup into his mouth. Granted, the smaller boy hadn’t eaten in over a day, he was probably <em>starving</em>. Hugo sat next to him, blowing on his own serving of soup to cool it.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo realized that Varian was still in his pajamas, having never changed since his explosive exit from the caravan that morning. By the Maker, that really was only a few hours ago, then? Felt like years, to Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>But a talk was needed, <em>now</em>. Varian could change later.</p><p> </p><p>“So, I’m gonna ask one question,” Hugo started. Varian looked at him with apprehension but nodded his consent to be asked. Hugo sucked at the inside of his cheek, wondering where to begin, but finally managed to summarize his raging series of thoughts into one, singular question.</p><p> </p><p>“What, and I cannot emphasize this enough, the actual <em>fuck</em> was that.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian flinched at the question, picking at his fingernails. Hugo must have taken his gloves off, somewhere along the line, and without them Varian felt… <em>bare</em>. Hugo deserved the truth, the <em>whole</em> truth, but it was such a bizarre story it was difficult to start.</p><p> </p><p>Varian took a deep breath and began.</p><p> </p><p>“So, it all started when I was born-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let out a squawk, pointing to Varian with his spoon. “No bullshit,” Hugo griped, “Not until I know what’s going on-”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not bullshit!” Varian defended, moving forward with his story. “I- okay so have you ever heard of the Sundrop Flower?”</p><p> </p><p>“The one from Corona? Yeah their princess supposedly has the power of it- are you saying you’re like her?”</p><p> </p><p>“Kind of?” Varian said, more of a question than anything. “There’s an opposite power to the Sundrop, called the Moonstone. It’s a balance to it, something to… to <em>destroy,</em> instead of heal.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo politely didn’t mention Varian’s stutter, merely gesturing at the shorter boy to continue.</p><p> </p><p>“When I was born, I… I wasn’t well.” Varian continued, looking down to his boots. Adira was the one who had told him the story, behind Quirin’s back. It felt wrong to know it at all. “I was sick. Dying. My dad, auntie, and uncle were members of a society called the Brotherhood, who are devoted to protecting the Moonstone and-”</p><p> </p><p>“Let me guess, you ended up with it, like the princess ended up with the flower.” Hugo interrupted, his green eyes flashing as he put the pieces together. Varian looked up to him in shock, but nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.” He said, tripping over his own tongue. “Yeah. Dad used it to save me, and in return it uses me as its host.”</p><p> </p><p>“So that’s where the… uh,” Hugo did a weird twiddly motion with his fingers, wiggling them in the air. “With the rocks?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian couldn’t help but laugh, nodding. Ruddiger took this time to interrupt, climbing up next to Varian and forcing his way into the boy’s lap to snuffle at his soup. Varian allowed it, merely allowing the animal to lick at his spoon.</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t really control them.” Varian admitted, “I try and tell them what to do and it’s more of a fifty-fifty chance if it actually works or not. Dad said I could leave the farm when I learned how to manage it but-”</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, leave your farm?” Hugo said, latching on to the one piece of information Varian had been trying to sweep under the rug. “Like you weren’t allowed off property? Isn’t that a little… wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian shrank in his seat, picking harder at a hangnail on his middle finger. “It’s. It’s dangerous for me to go out in public.” The words were foul in his mouth, Quirin speaking for him. “If someone found me, what I could do, and decided to take advantage… it’d be a disaster.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shook his head, putting his bowl down. “No, that’s still messed up.” He said with a thoughtful tone. “So, what, they were just going to keep you there forever?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s blood chilled at the question, having asked it to himself a million times over in the past. “Maybe.” Varian finally conceded. “Maybe they would have. But that’s why I have to make it to Corona, if their princess can control the Sundrop she might be able to help me with the Moonstone. Then I can… ya know, be <em>normal</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shorted, flicking a piece of bark at Varian from across the campfire. “Hairstripe, if you think ditching the magic will make <em>you</em> normal you’ve got another thing coming.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian felt his heart do a weird little <em>thump</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Oh.</p><p> </p><p>“Either way,” Varian blurted, desperate to get <em>the hell</em> away from that train of thought, “That’s why Hector and Adira were so… aggressive, about wanting me home. They just want me to be safe, and to them the only way for that to happen is for me to hide.”</p><p> </p><p>“I guess that explains the kidnapping assumption,” Hugo mused, picking up a nearby stick and poking at the fire. “I just thought they were crazy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey-” Varian argued, defending his family. “-they’re not crazy. Just… eccentric.”</p><p> </p><p>“Your uncle threw a knife at me.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Very </em>eccentric.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo snorted, using his poking stick to jostle the logs in their campfire to make space before tossing another chunk of wood on. The fire <em>puffed</em> a bit, sparks going skywards.</p><p> </p><p>“So, what’s with them, then?” Hugo asked, “Your aunt and uncle. They certainly were… interesting.”</p><p> </p><p>“They’re not technically my aunt and uncle.” Varian said, “Like I said they were part of the same group as my father, devoted to protecting the Moonstone. But they’re still family to me-”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah of course I get that.” Hugo shrugged, “I’m basically adopted, Hairstripe. Just because my mentor isn’t my <em>mother</em> doesn’t make her not important to me.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian logged that information away for later, looking back into the fire as it crackled. He let out a little sigh into the quiet between them. It was strange, having his secret out in the open with someone new. The idea that Hugo knew and hadn’t run as fast as he could in the other direction was strange, Varian had been convinced that if Hugo had ever found out about the Moonstone he’d either abandon Varian or lock him in the caravan until they got to a sanitorium.</p><p> </p><p> Hugo seemed to ponder for a second, but finally perked up with a thought. </p><p> </p><p>“I want to see ‘em,” Hugo said suddenly, looking up from the fire.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Varian asked, nervously avoiding the question.</p><p> </p><p>“You know, the rocks. I wanna see ‘em now that we’re not running from your <em>eccentric</em> family.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian bit his lip. “I don’t know,” He said with trepidation, “Like I said I can’t really control them-”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe it’s not about control, then.” Hugo said, “The Moonstone sounds like its own thing to me, maybe instead of trying to harness it you need to work <em>with</em> it instead?”</p><p> </p><p>  Varian’s brain short circuited. He’d never thought of it like that, that maybe it wasn’t about forcing the Moonstone under his thumb like a naughty pet, but more becoming more in tune with it as a separate entity.</p><p> </p><p> “Well, when you put it like that…” Varian said, already standing. Hugo scrambled up, holding up a hand and scurrying for the caravan.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, wait, Hairstripe, wait,” He said, disappearing into the caravan, “I want to- <em>where’s that stupid journal</em>- write this down.” A series of crashes rang from the caravan, and Varian cringed at the sounds, but stood up straight again as Hugo tumbled from the doorway.</p><p> </p><p>“For <em>science</em>!” Hugo crowed, holding up a green notebook.</p><p> </p><p>Varian laughed, wholly, backing away. Hugo made to follow, but Varian held up a hand. “You might want to- uh- stand back?” Varian said in explanation, “I’m not going to try anything big but… well.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo nodded, cracking open the journal with the fire of a man ready for answers. Varian took a small breath, backing up even further away from the fire. He found himself close to the edge of their little clearing. Ruddiger backed up next to Hugo, wrapping himself around the blond’s legs. Varian reached forwards, drawing on the well of power from the Moonstone.</p><p> </p><p>The ground beneath his feet rumbled, but only just as a small cluster of rocks began to grow. They rose slowly, almost gently as Varian coaxed them from the dirt. He could vaguely hear Hugo’s quill scratching in the notebook, but simply ignored it in favour of reaching out a hand to stay them as they got to knee height.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Fascinating</em>,” Hugo muttered to himself. “What are they made of?”</p><p> </p><p>“No idea.” Varian shrugged, “I’ve done experiments on them, but the results were… inconclusive.” A failure, in less neutral terms. “They’re unbreakable, though. The only thing that can cut them is themselves. It’s what my aunt and uncle’s swords are made from.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo grunted, frantically scribbling into the journal. “And what,” He asked once he finished his notes, “They just kind of… appear? Where do they come from?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian shrugged helplessly, “Somewhere deep underground, I think? I’m not really supposed to be summoning them, so I never really thought about it.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Fascinating</em>,” Hugo breathed again, scribbling once more. “And the hair, what’s the connection there? The princess in Corona had glowing hair too, supposedly, but the rumor is that it lost its power when she cut it.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian nodded. “That’s what dad said, the Moonstone just manifested itself differently than the Sundrop did. I can cut my hair, but it still glows. Magic is… weird.”</p><p> </p><p>“Magic is just science we can’t explain yet,” Hugo griped, chewing on his bottom lip in thought. Varian found himself staring, thankful that Hugo was focused on his notes. Varian had to nip these feelings in the bud, there was no way Hugo would ever be interested in a mess like him, <em>especially</em> with the weird magic and family issues as a cherry on top. It was best to give up <em>that</em> dream now before he got hurt.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked up suddenly, and Varian snapped his eyes to the trees instead, feeling his face heat up at getting caught. Hugo merely smirked, snapping the journal shut.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I’m sure it’ll be at least a week before your aunt and uncle can get around the mountains, so we’ll be long gone by then. Tonight, let’s just take it easy and we’ll head off in the morning.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian slumped, relieved at the idea of a break. He was awake, yes, but he’d never used the Moonstone in such an <em>explosive</em> manner. Varian felt drained, thin, like he’d been stretched too far and nearly <em>snapped</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“I’d appreciate that,” Varian smiled, looking back down to the rocks. <em>Work with them, huh</em>? Varian let out a little huff, holding his hand out and tapping into the well of power that was the Moonstone. <em>Down</em>, he thought, not unkindly but more a polite demand.</p><p> </p><p>To Varian’s shock, the rocks began to shrink back, fully disappearing back into the earth. He looked in shock from his outstretched hand and back to the place the rocks had been. He’d… he’d actually <em>done it</em>. Varian let out a little <em>ha</em> noise, flexing his fingers as he let his hand drop.</p><p> </p><p><em>Control</em> indeed.</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out another little laugh, sitting back down and digging back into his food.</p><p> </p><p> Hugo kicked at the dirt in front of him, mentally doing the math. If they stopped now they <em>in theory</em> would still make it back to Donella on time, but it would be worth it as long as Varian got a break, the kid looked positively <em>wrecked</em>-</p><p> </p><p>Not that Hugo cared, of course. The break would be good for the both of them. Varian’s wonky, buck toothed smile certainly made it worth it. Hugo felt his brain short circuit as the younger boy smiled softly, a faint burst of pink across his cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>The green journal in Hugo’s hands felt heavy.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Varian turned in early that night, leaving Hugo alone for the majority of the evening. Though he’d rather die than admit it, Hugo found himself missing Varian’s chatter, the camp oddly quiet now that it was just Hugo and Dolos. It was a weird feeling, he’d only been “escorting” the other boy for just over a week, and yet Hugo could already feel himself wanting Varian to stick around.</p><p> </p><p>Well <em>that</em> wasn’t going to go well, Hugo thought to himself. It wouldn’t end well to go and catch <em>feelings</em>. The F-word alone was enough to make Hugo shudder, the thought of sickly saccharine <em>emotions</em> making his skin crawl. He was better than that, or at least he was supposed to be. If Donella found out he’d caught a little crush on a boy with a pretty face Hugo would <em>never</em> hear the end of it.</p><p> </p><p>A raven suddenly cawed, swooping down into the clearing. Hugo startled, watching as the bird dropped down onto the log he’d been sitting on. It looked at him expectantly, croaking at him with a flutter of its wings. Hugo slumped, pulling a cluster of pages from his pocket. He rolled them up, binding them with a piece of twine to the bird’s leg. The raven let out another caw, taking flight up into the evening sky.</p><p> </p><p>A rock settled in Hugo’s gut as he watched the silhouette of the raven vanish over the trees. He picked up his green notebook and cracked it open, staring at the torn edges where pages used to be with a sense of guilt.</p><p> </p><p>“What am I even <em>doing</em>?” Hugo asked himself in dismay, snapping the book shut.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Monday all! We're officially through the boring bullshit! Next... seven chapters aren't really going to slow down, so buckle in!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. You Spoke My Language</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The boys have a good day. And then a bad one.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“We’re gonna need to go to town today,” Hugo mused, the morning after their impromptu break. The pair of them had just finished breakfast, the two sitting in companionable silence until Hugo spoke. Varian’s head snapped up from where he’d been petting Ruddiger, his eyes wide.</p><p> </p><p>“What, why?” He said nervously, picking at his gloves.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, <em>food</em>, for one.” Hugo said, gesturing to where he’d been looking in their rations storage box, the thing nearly empty. “And other supplies, for two.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s face soured at the sass, but he didn’t let up. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” He asked, nervously going back to petting the raccoon. Ruddiger didn’t seem to care that Varian was concerned, merely leaning into the touch with a purr.</p><p> </p><p>“Well <em>yeah</em>, Glowstick” Hugo said, pushing some of his hair off his face. “Where else are we supposed to get the stuff we need? What, are you scared of going into tow- oh.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s face went tomato red, the younger boy refusing to look up from where Ruddiger was on his lap. Hugo grimaced, rubbing at the back of his neck. His ponytail tickled the back of his hand, but he ignored it.<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Uh, well, I mean, I can just go by myself, if that’s better for you.” Hugo said awkwardly. “You can just hang out here and I’ll go.”</p><p> </p><p>“No!” Varian said loudly, startling Ruddiger into leaving his lap. “No,” Varian repeated in a smaller voice. “I’ll be okay, it’s just… <em>new</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo nodded, tapping at his chin. “We’ll be quick,” He said finally, “In and out, it’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian still didn’t look convinced, biting his lower lip. Hugo coughed for a second, and scrambled to his feet. He disappeared into the caravan and rustled around before emerging again, this time with a swatch of fabric in his hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Here,” He said, tossing it to Varian. The smaller boy spluttered, digging himself out from under the cloak. “You can wear that, it’ll cover your hair if it makes you feel better.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked down at the cloak, hugging it close to his chest. He caught the gentle smell of alchemical solutions, a hint of sulphur and smoke, but also something decidedly <em>Hugo</em>. Varian put it on cautiously, it easily dwarfed him in height and size. The ends of the cloak nearly trailed on the ground, just barely brushing the dirt. There was a large hood which would definitely cover Varian’s hair if he wanted, but it also tended to flop forwards and cover his eyes as well. Hugo laughed as Varian tried to push the sleeves up so he could see his hands again, rolling his green eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” The blond chuckled, “We’re going to have to grab you one a little more your size in town, you look like a shrimp.” Varian let out an offended noise, swatting at Hugo’s arm. The blond dodged with a laugh, escaping to a safe distance.</p><p> </p><p>After tying Dolos to a nearby tree, and ensuring he’d be taken care of for the next little while, the pair set off on foot. It would be much less conspicuous if it were just the two of them, especially if Adira and Hector showed up in a week looking for two teens and a caravan. Ruddiger had been told to stay behind as well, as Varian was worried about him getting lost in the unfamiliar forest. </p><p> </p><p>They were only a half hour’s walk away from the nearest town, a small settlement embedded into the rocky plains known as Dornwich. It was mostly for farming, Hugo knew, so it was smaller than most settlements since it was so far off the beaten path. It was a solid town, one that was made of large stones and heavy timbers, the kind of place that had been there for centuries, and would be there for many more.</p><p> </p><p>Dornwich was… <em>quaint</em>, in a way, and Hugo had no real concern about taking Varian there. They’d just be a couple of strangers, <em>passing through</em>, as it were. Easy in, easy out, and they’d be on the road by noon.</p><p> </p><p>But, of course, it was never that simple.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let out a groan at the sight of banners, and crowds. It was a Monday, wasn’t it, meaning that Dornwich would be having its bloody weekly farmer’s market. <em>Perfect</em>, just what they needed on what was supposed to be a quiet outing. Hugo pushed his glasses down the bridge of his nose so he could pinch between his eyes, already dreading having to deal with the hoards of people.</p><p> </p><p>Varian had stilled when looking at the new town, but then grabbed Hugo’s hand in excitement. “A farmer’s market!” Varian crowed with delight, “I’ve never been to one, obviously, but I’ve read about them!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was hyper-focused on Varian’s hand in his, the warmth of the other boy’s palm spreading into his own. Varian seemed unaffected, starting forwards and dragging Hugo behind him. Hugo went without thought, letting Varian lead him through the crowds, face burning. Varian <em>ooh-ed</em> and <em>ah-ed</em> at the displays, fluttering from one to the next like a hummingbird. Hugo resigned himself to be dragged, his world shrunk down to the place their hands connected. He looked back up to see Varian looking at him expectantly, but couldn’t for the life of him remember hearing the other boy ask anything.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Hugo said dumbly.</p><p> </p><p>“I asked what we needed to get first?” Varian laughed, confused. Hugo scowled, flicking at Varian’s oversized hood. The boy recoiled a little a giggle that made Hugo’s stomach flutter. The blond coughed to try and cover it up.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, food, first.” Hugo said, “That’s the main priority. Then we need some stuff for Dolos, and a cloak you can wear that doesn’t look ridiculous- <em>ow</em>!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was cut off by Varian smacking him in the shoulder, the shorter boy pouting. “It’s your cloak making me look ridiculous,” Varian said with an air of offense, “It’s not my fault that you’re a beanpole.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo snorted, but casually put an elbow up on top of Varian’s head, leaning on Varian and holding his chin in thought. “Is it me that’s tall-” Hugo pretended to muse, holding steady even as Varian tried to swat his arm away, “Or is it you who’s <em>short</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>“Short enough to take your kneecaps!” Varian huffed, shoving Hugo right in the side. Hugo buckled, laughing as Varian pouted at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, okay, truce.” The blond smirked, holding his hands up in surrender. “We’ve got a schedule to keep, so let’s get to work.”</p><p> </p><p>The market was large, a cobblestone square full of stalls and tents haphazardly set into a grid. Varian and Hugo weaved through the crowds, grabbing anything Hugo said was necessary for the rest of their journey. The list included a lot of dried meats, fruits, and things that would keep for a while, like certain grains. Varian didn’t really understand how this whole <em>supply</em> thing worked, but he followed Hugo’s decisions as best he could. It was on Hugo’s mentor’s dime, after all.</p><p> </p><p>They spent the day idly browsing the stalls until it was nearly midday, the sun high in the sky. The pair had settled against a low stone wall, Varian sitting atop the stones while Hugo leaned against them. Varian’s eyes scanned the crowd, absolutely fascinated with the bustle of regular life. Hugo watched Varian out of the corner of his eye, memorizing the curves of his cheeks, the glint of curiosity in his big, blue eyes-</p><p> </p><p><em>Nope, nope, none of that</em>, Hugo thought to himself, frantically scanning the market for a distraction.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah-hah!” Hugo said with relief, spying a stall, “I know what we’re getting for lunch today.”</p><p> </p><p>“You do, do you?” Varian asked, casually using one hand to hold his head up, his elbow balanced on his knee.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, I do,” Hugo said with an air of indignation, “You’ve probably never had it, they’re these little meat pies they make in Arendelle, they’re really good. You’ll like them, trust me.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo flicked at Varian’s hood once again, pushing up and off the wall and gesturing for Varian to stay. “Save our spot, I’ll be right back.” Hugo said, already disappearing into the crowd.</p><p> </p><p>Varian idly kicked his feet, missing Ruddiger’s company now that he was alone. The din around the market was both exhilarating and terrifying, it was a lot in the best kind of way. Overwhelming but <em>amazing</em>-</p><p> </p><p>A sudden presence next to him caused Varian to laugh, turning to the person. “Back already? Was the line too- uh.”</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>Another teen, one probably a year or two older than Varian himself, leaned up against the wall where Hugo had been standing. He had, admittedly, a nice face to look at, chiseled in a puppy dog kind of way. Tall, too, taller than Varian but shorter than Hugo. Brown hair, brown eyes, but Varian couldn’t help but be put off by the <em>very</em> interested glint in the other boy’s stare. Varian raised an eyebrow at him, and the other teen’s face flipped into a smirk.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I help you?” Varian asked, leaning back in a way he hoped was subtle. Maybe too subtle, it seemed, as the other teenager merely leaned forward, closing the gap Varian had tried to create.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, don’t mind me,” The guy said in a smarmy voice, “Just enjoying the view, is all.”</p><p> </p><p>…Right okay, so this was happening, then. Varian wasn’t stupid, nor did he think he was <em>so </em>nieve to not notice flirting when he saw it. He’d been isolated, yes, but still encouraged to learn about the world as much as he wanted through books and other media.</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked around for Hugo, but no luck. He was on his own, then.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, maybe go enjoy it somewhere else.” Varian finally said, fully shifting to the defensive. His kicking boots stopped, thudding against the stone wall as the guy leaned closer.</p><p> </p><p>“Why would I do that?” The guy said, quirking a brow. Undeterred by Varian’s frosty attitude, he stuck a hand out for a shake. “My name’s Lukas.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian rolled his eyes but still went to accept the shake, he wasn’t raised in a barn<em>,</em> after all, just next to one. Lukas seemed to take the opportunity, seizing Varian’s hand suddenly and bringing it close to kiss at the back of it. The alchemist could feel himself tense, snatching the limb back as soon as Lukas let it go.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Ċ̷̡̢͕̲̩̉̑͛͌͛r̷̥̈́͗̂͠e̶͓̜̋͠é̷̳̒͝p̶͈̬̙͛̽̑͠</strong>
</p><p> </p><p><em>Couldn’t agree more</em>, Varian thought back, trying to be subtle in wiping the back of his glove on his pant leg. This was decidedly going from bad to worse and <em>honestly where the hell was Hugo-</em></p><p> </p><p>“So, Pet,” Lukas says, fixing Varian with an interested stare. Varian’s teeth grit tightly at the nickname. “Tell me, what’s a little thing like you doing all by yourself in a place like Dornwich?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just visiting.” Varian said, “Waiting for my friend to come back with lunch.”</p><p> </p><p>“Some friend,” Lukas laughed, “Leaving you all alone. <em>I </em>wouldn’t do that-”</p><p> </p><p>“If only you would,” Varian said, ice in his tone.</p><p> </p><p>Lukas’s smile turned sharp.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Cute</em>.” Is all he said, leaning further into Varian’s space. If the alchemist backed up any farther he’d fall off the back of the damn wall at this point. “Maybe-”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Goggles.”</p><p> </p><p>The alchemist slumped with relief at hearing Hugo’s voice. Lukas thankfully backed off enough that he wasn’t in Varian’s immediate space. Varian took a breath, settling back onto the wall properly now that he had the space to.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you have somewhere to be, Lukas?” Hugo asked, cocking his head in a way that screamed <em>challenge</em>. Lukas seemed to know a lost fight when he saw one, holding up his hands in defeat.</p><p> </p><p>“Whelp, can’t fault me for shooting my shot,” Lukas said, pushing off the wall and walking away into the crowd. “But Hugo? You should really keep your pets on a shorter leash.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo and Varian glared after him, awkwardly quiet. Lukas had vanished into the bustle of people, but neither of them really relaxed. Varian couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something. Obviously Hugo and Lukas knew each other, unless Hugo had been running around with a name tag that Varian had failed to notice. Hugo let out a grunt, falling back against his place on the wall to Varian’s right.</p><p> </p><p>“Old friend?” Vairan asked as Hugo shoved what seemed to be a small pie into his hands. It was hot, not piping but warm enough that Varian held it gingerly to keep from burning himself. Hugo scowled next to him, his own food untouched.</p><p> </p><p>“You could call him that.” Hugo muttered, glaring at the space where Lukas had disappeared. “I’d call him an insufferable jackass.”</p><p> </p><p>“Agreed.” Varian said, taking a bite of his pie. His eyes widened at the familiar taste, he’d had something like this before. Varian smiled at the flavours; it was similar to something Adira made on the off occasion she felt like cooking. It sparked a warmth in his chest, the alchemist drawing it close as he chewed with a happy smile.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo laughed as Varian took another large bite, nearly choking on it. “I take it you like it, then?” He said with a cackle, finally giving up on glaring into the crowd and taking his own pie out from the bag. Varian nodded with a wide grin, gulping down his large bite and gasping for breath.</p><p> </p><p>“So, okay,” Varian coughed as he tried not to choke. “This Lukas guy, what’s the deal? Is he just a creep to everyone or am I just special?”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah, he’s just a creep-” Hugo cut himself off suddenly, spine straightening “Wait, did he touch you?” Hugo said, all levity gone. Varian paused, concerned at the question.</p><p> </p><p>“What kind of question is that?” Varian asked, the concern obvious in his voice, “Hugo what aren’t you telling m-”</p><p> </p><p>“Varian.” Hugo said, bodily turning around and staring at Varian through the lenses of his glasses. “Did he touch you?”</p><p> </p><p>“I- no.” Varian stuttered, “No, no, nothing like that. Just <em>really</em> aggressive flirting.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s face darkened, and Varian could see in the grit of his teeth how Hugo was trying to hide his anger. It stressed Varian out to see Hugo so rattled, even as the blond tried to downplay it. Varian felt himself sink deeper into the cloak surrounding him, effectively hiding in the miles of green fabric. Hugo shifted, his arm winding behind Varian in a way that would seem casual and unintentional, if not for the way his hand gripped the wall tightly. Varian tried to ignore the heat of Hugo’s arm through the cloak, settling back into the touch.</p><p> </p><p>The two sat in awkward silence once again, all thoughts of food forgotten. Varian picked at the last of his lunch, finally resolving to set it aside. He could eat at dinner. Hugo didn’t seem much better, having never really taken a bite of his food. The blond was back to scanning the crowd, no doubt looking for a head of brown hair.</p><p> </p><p>Varian shifted, peering out into the crowd himself. Seeing nothing, he finally nudged at Hugo’s side with an elbow.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Varian said, smiling when Hugo’s eyes snapped to his own. “I think I saw an alchemy stall over there, maybe we can check it out before we leave tonight?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shrugged, playing off any sort of interest, but by the way he pursed his lips Varian knew he had him. “Sure.” Hugo said, “We can check it out for a few minutes before we go.”</p><p> </p><p>Together they pushed off into the swarm of people, the two of them making their way to the alchemy stand. It was a smaller tent, but well stocked. It was full of haphazard looking shelves, stocked to the brim with ingredients and supplies, as well as a large main desk with a display case. The owner of the shop, a middle aged man with a large brown mustache and kindly blue eyes, greeted them warmly when they entered, to which Varian responded in kind. Hugo slunk off to the supplies, scanning through the assorted glassware as Varian eyed the chemicals, bouncing ideas with Hugo back and forth as they shopped.</p><p> </p><p>“We could use more potassium chlorate,” Hugo mused, swirling a vial of the stuff as he thought. “Might need the firepower if your aunty and uncle show back up.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian shrugged, nodding. “And maybe some sodium hypochlorite too,” He added, gesturing to a beaker close to Hugo’s elbow. Hugo grabbed it as well, handing it to the clerk who was more than happy to see them puttering about his stand like they belonged there.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s eye caught a glint in the sunlight, the boy stopping and eyeing at a display. There, set in the middle of the collection, was a hollow pendant charm. It was small, full of a light blue liquid, the clear glass of the pendent in the shape of a tiny show globe. It was obvious that it was supposed to be worn as a charm, either on a staff or as a necklace. Varian picked it up with curiosity, the thing barely as big as his pinky.</p><p> </p><p>“Shake it,” The shop-keep whispered to him, startling the boy. Varian let out a small laugh at his own expense, gently shaking the vial. His eyes lit up with delight as the thing began to glow, faint in the summer’s sun but still there.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, sweetcheeks, what’ve you got there?” Hugo asked, still picking out chemical compounds on the other side of the stand.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, nothing.” Varian said, putting the charm back down. “Just something fun.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo fixed him with a suspicious look but shrugged, “Fine then, keep your secrets.” He said, ignoring Varian as the boy left the stall to go wander while the business side of things were taken care of. The market was still busy, even after lunch, and Varian saw a large group of people gathering around a circle of some kind. Curious, Varian followed the crowd, shifting around as excited children sprinted by.</p><p> </p><p>He finally got to a point where he could see, still on the outskirts of the crowd. An old man stood in the center of the circle, his face drawn and thin, but his white hair and faded, brown eyes were wild. He spoke enthusiastically, dramatically gesturing as he told a story. The crowd oo-ed and ahh-ed at all the right points, Varian assumed this was a well-known story to the adults at least.</p><p> </p><p>“And so!” The old man said dramatically, waving his gnarled hands around in the air. “The Moonstone and Sundrop were born! They fell to the Earth, taking the forms of flower and opal, where they remained for a millenia!”</p><p> </p><p>Varian tensed, his hands flying to his hood. Still secure, thankfully, but Varian tugged on it nonetheless. The old man kept talking, everyone around listening with rapt attention.</p><p> </p><p>“The Sundrop, as we know, is a force of good, of light, love, warmth. But they say, for every good thing there is always a balancing evil. The <em>Moonstone</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The crowd began to jokingly <em>boo</em>, some jeering. Varian shrunk even farther into the cloak. Was this really what they thought of… of him, technically?</p><p> </p><p>“The Moonstone destroyed the Dark Kingdom many years ago,” The man continued, his tone quiet and conspiratorial, “And then vanished without a trace!” Children squeal with glee as his voice grew into a shout. “Someday, though, it will re-emerge from the shadows, ready to spread its evil once again until the Sundrop destroys it-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian had heard enough. He quickly backed away from the crowd, the man still speaking about the <em>evils</em> of the Moonstone as if it were a fairy tale. As if Varian were nothing other than some destructive monster that could be used to scare children, a boogeyman. He let out a wet little gasp as he hid in between two buildings, hastily rubbing at his eyes with the sleeve of Hugo’s cloak.</p><p> </p><p>With a little rumble the stones beneath his feet separated, thin black rocks slowly growing through the cobblestones of the street. Varian thought back to the incident in the woods, the last time he’d lost control in the face of rising panic, and he shuddered.</p><p> </p><p><strong>“N̸̨͈̊͑̇o̶̢͙͇̮͋t̶̨̯̺̀̐̌̄ͅ ̶̡͉̰͊̍͌͠N̸͇̹̤̥͗̓̈́ŏ̸̧̝̺̔͝w̵͍̪”</strong> he begged, wiping at his eyes. The rocks listened, stopping in knee high spikes. Varian let out a pained noise, sniffling pathetically. <em>Was this really what people thought he was</em>? Maybe they were right, he had done nothing but ruin things with the rocks, destroying floors, knocking over trees, blocking pathways, he probably <em>was</em> dangerous-</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Glowstick?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian startled at the voice, hastily wiping his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Hugo, uh, hey!” Varian stumbled over the words, trying for nonchalance as his face split into a forced smile. Hugo seemed apprehensive to get closer, eyeing the rocks surrounding Varian in a series of spikes. They were all angled outwards, protecting their wielder.</p><p> </p><p>“You good, Sweetcheeks?” Hugo said instead, inching forward. Varian’s forced smile crumbled instantly, more tears falling down his cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine!” Varian gasped out wetly, “I’m fine, it’s nothing to worry about. I just heard them telling a story-”</p><p> </p><p>“About the Moonstone.” Hugo finished. “I heard it too, when I was looking for you.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a whine, hugging himself for comfort. “I didn’t know that’s what they thought about it- about <em>me</em>.” The boy rubbed at his eyes again, “I’m just a scary story they tell their kids at night, Hugo! A-and maybe they’re right! Maybe I am just some horrible force that just goes around and ruins <em>everything</em>!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo got closer, inching around the rocks with a look of concern, his brows furrowing as Varian continued to sink deeper into his panic.</p><p> </p><p>“I shouldn’t have left home, I don’t belong out here with normal people, I’m <em>dangerous</em>-”</p><p> </p><p>“Woah, <em>no</em>,” Hugo cut Varian off from his spiral, finally reaching the smaller boy. Hugo’s hands found Varian’s shoulders, giving the shorter teen a gentle shake. “You are <em>not</em> dangerous. You’re, well, okay you’re smart, and you’re funny, and there’s not an evil bone in your body. What do a bunch of townies know about you, anyways?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s big eyes focused on Hugo’s, tear filled and ravaged with emotion. “I- heh, tell me how you <em>really</em> feel,” Varian choked out, wiping at his face again. Hugo gave him a small smile, relieved to see the rocks surrounding them begin to sink back into the earth. Varian shuddered, finally calming himself.</p><p> </p><p>And then Varian sprung at Hugo, catching the blond off guard as he threw himself into Hugo’s arms for a hug. Hugo paused, awkward as Varian wrapped himself around him.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Thanks</em>,” Varian finally said, burying his face into Hugo’s neck. The shorter boy was on his tiptoes so that he could reach around Hugo’s neck, forcing the blond to bend at the waist and into the embrace. Hugo hesitantly brought his own arms up, wrapping them around Varian’s waist.</p><p> </p><p>“No problem, Sweetcheeks.” Hugo said softly, hugging Varian just a little tighter. He could feel Varian’s wet cheek against the sensitive part of his neck, and it made Hugo shiver.</p><p> </p><p><em>Getting in too deep</em>, a voice inside said, sounding frightfully like Donella.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo coughed awkwardly, pushing Varian back. The boy looked at him with his beautiful blue eyes, and Hugo felt something in his chest <em>thump</em>. That little grateful smile was actually going to kill him.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s get going,” Hugo said, ignoring Varian’s face with determination. “We’ve got to get this stuff back to the caravan.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian nodded, rubbing one last time at his red eyes. Hugo gestured back to the market behind them, and Varian took the que, walking past Hugo and into the market once again. Hugo followed closely, aligning himself to the shorter boy’s side.</p><p> </p><p>If Varian’s hand slipped into Hugo’s, <em>to keep them together in the crowd, of course</em>, neither of them mentioned it.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>They’d made it back to Dolos and the caravan without any real trouble, the path quiet save for the two gently bickering back and forth. The sun had begun to set, the early evening finally settling in as they worked together to stow away their purchases. It would hopefully be enough to get them to Corona, the main city was only two weeks away after all.</p><p> </p><p>“I vote for early dinner,” Varian said, plopping down next to their campfire. Due to Lukas’ awkward interruption neither of them had really had lunch, and Varian was <em>starving</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Agreed.” Hugo said, flopping flat on his back next to Varian in exhaustion. Ruddiger climbed out from the caravan with a chitter, snuggling close to Varian in greeting.</p><p> </p><p>Neither of them really wanted to move, so they ended up defaulting to an easy meal of vegetables and meat, all roasted together in a pan with some spices. Hugo refused to let Varian cook, batting his hands away.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t know the <em>ratios</em>,” Hugo said haughtily, shoving at Varian. The smaller boy eventually gave up, slouching next to Hugo and watching him cook instead. Hugo methodically stirred the cooking food in the skillet, adding different spices to taste.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually they <em>finally</em> got to eat, the two of them shoveling food like it was their last meal. It <em>was</em> rather good, honestly. Hugo had learned a thing or two on his travels, it seemed. Varian settled against Hugo, his plate clear. The blond merely threw an arm around Varian, both of them content with the new development of what was definitely <em>not</em> snuggling thank you very much.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, yeah,” Hugo said, when Varian’s side forced something in his pocket to dig into Hugo’s hip. “I got you a little something-something.”</p><p> </p><p>With no great showmanship Hugo pulled out a small fabric bag, gently depositing it into Varian’s hands. The boy looked at him with curiosity, weighing it idly.</p><p> </p><p>“What is it?” Varian asked, undoing the little knot keeping the bag closed.</p><p> </p><p>“Well it wouldn’t be a good surprise if I told you, would it, Goggles?” Hugo asked.</p><p> </p><p>Varian laughed at that, tipping the bag over and seeing the little charm from the market fall into his palm, the clear glass glinting. “Oh!” He said with delight, looking at it in the dimming light of the sunset. “From the alchemy stand, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Hugo said, not looking at Varian. Hugo reached up and rubbed at the back of his neck, but Varian could see the blush that covered his face. “Saw you looking at it, and you’ve had a rough week so-”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” Varian said softly. “I love it.” The smaller boy gently unclasped the chain and brought it up to wear it as a necklace. If Varian ever managed to get ahold of an alchemist’s staff for himself he would probably put it there, but for now it was better to keep the pendant safe with him. Hugo coughed when he caught sight of Varian’s pale neck, turning even redder and looking away once more.</p><p> </p><p>Varian yawned, settling back against Hugo. Even if Varian spent most of yesterday asleep he was still tired, and he could feel himself drifting off. Hugo didn’t mention it, simply letting Varian sink into his side. Within minutes Varian was in a doze, teetering on the edge of sleep. Hugo couldn’t help but watch him, the gentle curve of Varian’s jaw, his mouth slightly open as he snuffled on the edge of sleep, eyes fluttering behind their lids. Ruddiger was curled up on Varian’s lap, already fast asleep. A stray piece of hair had fallen into Varian’s face, and Hugo found himself pushing it back behind the smaller boy’s ear.</p><p> </p><p><em>In too deep</em>, indeed.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo pulled his hand back like it’d been burnt. He felt himself tense, staring into the fire. This had to stop, he couldn’t go and catch <em>feelings, </em>Donella would kill him-</p><p> </p><p>Varian snorted awake at the movement, going red when he saw how close they were together. “Oh, uh,” The smaller boy stuttered, scrambling to his feet. “Guess I was too tired, sorry, I’ll just- uh, go. To sleep. Yeah.” Varian scurried away to the caravan, a still asleep Ruddiger in his arms. The caravan door slammed behind him, and Hugo could hear him go quiet as Varian probably fell asleep the second he hit his bunk.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo sighed, sitting back and staring into the fire. He was due for a reply from Donella soon, and the anticipation was killing him.</p><p> </p><p>Speak of the devil, it seemed, as Hugo heard a familiar <em>caw</em> ring out through the woods. He stiffened when he saw it was a different raven from last time, meaning Donella had sent this note <em>personally</em>. This raven, Hugo knew she was named Olympia, was Donella’s fastest messenger. The bird landed gently next to Hugo with a squawk. The teen shushed Olympia, gazing warily at the caravan. The bird seemed to not care, simply sticking her leg out so that Hugo could retrieve the message tied there.</p><p> </p><p>It was a small paper; Donella wasn’t one to mince words. Hugo unrolled it, sighing when he read the single sentence written there.</p><p> </p><p><em>Bring him to me</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo felt something in him twist, looking from the note back to the caravan. Deep in his stomach a rock began to settle, a heavy, cold weight at the thought of what he’d been ordered to do. Varian trusted had Hugo with his greatest secret, and here he was being the <em>exact</em> type of person that Varian had been hidden away from-</p><p> </p><p>Olympia squawked angrily, holding out her leg once again in impatience. Bloody bird seemed to know she was Donella’s favorite, arguably more so than Hugo, and the raven took advantage of that fact. Hugo took the twine that had held Donella’s note and tied one of his own, written earlier that morning and stashed in Hugo’s pocket, to the bird’s leg. Olympia let out one last <em>caw</em> and took off once again, quickly disappearing into the evening.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked at the note from Donella once more. It hadn’t changed, four words in Donella’s rough, choppy handwriting. Damning, in their simplicity. The rock in Hugo’s gut was larger now, a heavy weight that he knew was going to be a permanent addition until this whole thing came to a head.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo grit his teeth and threw the note into the fire. He watched it quickly turn to ash, resolved in knowing that his mentor was right. Varian would be an asset to her, surely. Maybe he’d eventually forgive Hugo, once they were on the same side? A laughable concept but Hugo could hope, right?</p><p> </p><p>The fire crackled once more, breaking the silence of the forest as it spat a plume of ash into the sky. What was left of the note broke apart in mid air as it floated away from the heat.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo watched it go and scowled.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Varian smelled brimstone again.</p><p> </p><p>It was becoming familiar now, this idea of falling asleep and waking up in the strange ethereal dimension. It was almost comforting, like finding an old enemy was still the same annoying bastard you’d left behind years ago. He cracked his eyes open, focusing on a pair of white flats.</p><p> </p><p>“Welcome back, my <strong>H̶̨̦̮͔̓͘o̵͚̅̄̽̇s̶̘̼̯͋ͅt̵̗̐̿͆͐́͝” </strong>Said the Moonstone, standing over him with a wide smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, this again.” Varian grunted, pushing himself up and standing tall even as he shook. He never remembered the contents of the dreams once they were done, but when he found himself back in the nightmares the details always came trickling back.</p><p> </p><p>“This again.” The Moonstone agreed, tilting her head to the side. “I only wish to <strong>H̴̬̹̫̠̥́͋̍͘͜͝e̵̗̹̚l̸̺̈͋͗̐p̸̛̞͍͔̥̝̱̆̆͛͠” </strong></p><p> </p><p>“Well, I don’t want your help.” Varian grumbled, glaring up at her. She was nearly seven feet tall, towering over Varian with an ease he hated. “I don’t <em>need</em> your help.”</p><p> </p><p>Her smile turned strained. “You need to find the <strong>S̴̳̺̫̈͒ų̸̛̤̜̤̮̻̎͊̄͑͒̽͒̒̒̕̕͝ͅṋ̸̤͎̯͍͍̒ͅͅd̸̲͍͎͈̤̜̥̽r̷̫̠̮͕̫̦̳̒̐̔̒̅̊̉͒͆͒͗̽͝o̶̦̔̈̋̅̄͠p̷̨̡̟͍͙͚͔̗̲̦̯̘̩̞͇̈́̎̈̆͑͐̾̈́”</strong> She said, the same thing she told him every time they met. “You’re taking too long.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian scuffed the dirt with the toe of his boot. “I’m going as fast as I can,” He muttered, refusing to meet her eye. “Don’t forget that <em>you</em> need <em>me</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone merely smiled, her face cracking in two. “You are only my <strong>H̶̨̦̮͔̓͘o̵͚̅̄̽̇s̶̘̼̯͋ͅt̵̗̐̿͆͐́͝,” </strong>She said, “There were many before you, and there will be others after. <em>You</em> need <strong><em>M̷̯̥͊̈́̅͛͘e̶̡͍̞̻̰͎̮͔̥͉̼̖̘͙̰̅͆́̐̾̈́̀͗̿̏͜͝͝</em></strong>.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian began to back up as she moved forwards, stopped as usual by the edge of his island. “I don’t trust you.” Varian said flatly, “If I’m your host then we’re going where <em>I </em>want to.”</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone’s face darkened, her smile sliding off into a harsh frown.</p><p> </p><p><strong>“F̴̧͓̳̏͐͆̌̄̔̈́̆́̈́͗̿̚͝ǐ̴̞̲̙n̴̡̯͔̗̣̠̰̫̻͉̠̆̃̅̆̿̕̚͜d̶̡̲̰̂̿̿̒̃̎̋̂̇̈̚ͅ ̵̧̢̢̹͎̲̹͚̮̓͒t̴̨̛̜̼̜͔͖͎̝̲̻̖̅́̔͐̇͋͛̕h̴̢̛̭̫͕͙͔̻̹̲̭͇̘̞́̃͂̊̆̒͊̈̕ͅȩ̶̢̞̩̙̖͖̘̰̬̎̓̒̉͐̊̔̓͘͠͝ ̸̛̮̰̈́̾̓̚Ş̶̝̲͔͉̟͖͑́̈́̂͂̃͋̃̈́́̈͒ͅư̵̢̹͎͔̺̗̳̘̊̄̕̕ͅň̶̢̨͇̰͎̥͖͖̳̹̩͠ď̵̨̬͈̤̙̭͎̟̤͛ͅr̵̨͉̲̟̪̼͖̠̰̯̜̺͒̿̄̒̑̿͘o̷̡̝̤͉̗̙͎̪̙̍͌̉p̴̢̹̠̘̠̬̥̳̗̋͌͐̈́͒͆͗͂̅͗̕͘͠”</strong> She demanded, pushing forwards.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>When I’m ready</em>.” Varian spat back.</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone let out one last, inhuman shriek, rushing forwards in a rage, her hands twisting into claws as he reached for his throat-</p><p> </p><p>Varian woke up.</p><p> </p><p>The roof of the caravan snapped into focus, Varian gasping for breath as he crashed back to reality. His hands flew up to his throat, still whole and untouched, but like with all his nightmares the details slid from his mind the minute he stopped thinking of them.</p><p> </p><p>Ruddiger gave a concerned chirp, climbing up onto Varian’s heaving chest. The boy scratched at his head, allowing the panic to recede. Varian could hear Hugo’s obnoxious snoring coming from the bunk below his, and peeked over the edge to see Hugo dead asleep, mixed up in a pile of his own limbs and blankets. Varian heaved a sigh into the quiet of the caravan, rolling back over to look at Ruddiger.</p><p> </p><p>“Just a dream, bud.” He said to the raccoon. “Just a dream.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian didn’t fall asleep again that night.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Varian says, three days after their trip to Dornwich. “Want to tell me why you’ve been so quiet?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo startled from where he’d been steering Dolos. The two of them were in their usual seats, smushed up against each other on the small bench on the top of the caravan. Ruddiger had abandoned them long ago, probably asleep in Varian’s bunk getting his fur everywhere. Hugo seemed offended at the question, fixing Varian with an over-the-top look of hurt.</p><p> </p><p>“Wh- <em>quiet</em>? What’s wrong, Sweetcheeks, missing my <em>beautiful voice</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo leaned into Varian’s space at that, fluttering his eyelashes. Varian laughed and shoved at him, pushing Hugo back into his own seat.</p><p> </p><p>“No, really.” Varian said, “What’s up? Did I say something?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shrugged, focusing back on the road. “Nah,” He said, not looking Varian in the eye, “Just tired, I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian pursed his lips, obviously not buying it. Hugo refused to face him; Varian was unable to get a read on his expression. Varian slouched back into his seat, pouting as Hugo ignored him, they’d been doing well together until that day at the market three days ago… maybe Hugo finally realized how unstable Varian was?</p><p> </p><p>The thought made a pang of something empty flow through Varian, the idea that Hugo was scared or intimidated by the Moonstone and had stopped wanting to be Varian’s friend because of it. Varian wouldn’t blame him, of course, but it still <em>hurt</em>. Varian knew he was a mess but it still stung to be reminded of the fact. He turned away from Hugo as well, looking off into the woods just in time to see the blur of a human shape vanishing behind a tree.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, did you see-” Varian asked, turning back to Hugo, who held up a hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” The blond muttered, “I saw it. There’s more than one.” Hugo hunkered down in his seat, pretending to be casual. Varian could see the tenseness in his shoulders, the caution in his eyes, and it set him on edge.</p><p> </p><p>“What… Do you think is happening?” Vairan asked, eyes flicking around the trees.</p><p> </p><p>“I know these guys,” Hugo said, “I wouldn’t call them friends, but thankfully I know them well enough to say they’re all dumb as a bunch of stumps. So long as we can get to somewhere more open and get Dolos running, we’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian slowly reached a hand under the bench, intending to grab the sword, but found only air. He flailed his hand around for a second in a panic, but eventually touched the little clips that had kept the sword in place, both of them distinctly empty.</p><p> </p><p>“Where’s the sword?” Varian hissed, wide eyes snapping up to Hugo. “Did you grab it after I passed out?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo went pale, his mouth pulling in such a way that just said <em>oops</em>. Varian scowled at him, his hands clenching at the air. “Why didn’t you grab it?” He finally asked, eyes catching more movement in the trees up ahead.</p><p> </p><p>“I was distracted!” Hugo defended, petulantly refusing to meet Varian’s eye. “You were <em>unconscious</em> after the stuff with the-” He did his little finger waving gesture, Hugo’s unspoken way of saying magic<em>,</em> “-So <em>excuse me</em> for not thinking about grabbing some piece of shit sword.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well that <em>piece of shit sword</em> would be really useful right now, wouldn’t it?” Varian griped, just as five exceptionally large men emerged from the trees in front of them, lead by-</p><p> </p><p>“Well hey, Lukas.” Hugo griped, “Fancy meeting you all the way out here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo!” Lukas cawed, arms wide. “And the pretty thing from Dornwich. What’s the good word, gentlemen?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian scowled, eyes shifting from Lukas to his little <em>posse</em>. They were five big guys, all bearing scars and assorted weapons. Varian found himself sizing them up unconsciously, eyeing them with a calculating look. Adira had taught him what to look for, prosthetics, scars, <em>weak points</em>. It was something different, however, to need to do it in person. The one on the left had a peg leg, one on the right missing an arm, one of the men in the middle was missing an eye. Easy targets, for sure, if it became physical-</p><p> </p><p>“So, listen.” Lukas said, a hand on his hip as he drew a broadsword from behind his back. “I know you’re gonna hate me, but Davon, my boss-” he cut himself off with a wink towards Varian, “-<em>really</em> wants us to have a quick chat with you, Hugo. He’s got a message for Donella, see.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo tensed at Donella’s name, his hands tightening on Dolos’ reins. “About that,” The blond said, “See, me and Goggles here are on a tight schedule, no time for stops I’m sad to say. Maybe send a raven? I’m sure she’ll get back to you in the next five-to-seven business days.”</p><p> </p><p>Lukas smiled, inspecting his sword. “Oh, no,” He said, snapping his fingers. “I <em>insist</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The five men behind Lukas started moving forwards. Varian’s hands clenched around the wood of the bench, but Hugo snapped the reins before the five men could get too close. Dolos took off at a dead sprint, barrelling through the group in front of them. The men scattered in every direction, flinging themselves away from the horse. Varian himself wasn’t ready for the sudden speed, flying back in his seat with an <em>oomph</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let out a cackle, turning around and saluting Lukas before snapping the reins once more. Varian sat up quickly, snapping around to see Lukas and his cronies jumping onto horses of their own. They were chaotic, Lukas barking orders and the men seeming generally unorganized as they scrambled to give chase.</p><p> </p><p>“See?” Hugo laughed as they barreled away, “Not a single brain cell between the bunch of them.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian laughed too, but kept watching as the group drew closer. “We’ll need a way to stop them,” Varian said, already raising up a hand to <em>deal with them</em>, as it were. He took a shuddering breath, feeling his eyes begin to glow, when Hugo snatched his wrist and held it in place.</p><p> </p><p>“No, no, we can’t use that.” Hugo said frantically, “These guys are <em>not</em> the kind of people you want knowing about you.” Green eyes locked with blue, Hugo looking honestly <em>scared</em> at the thought of these people knowing what Varian could do. “They don’t just trade in stolen goods, Goggles… they’re not above selling someone to the highest bidder.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian paled at the implication, letting his wrist drop.</p><p> </p><p>“The alchemy way, then.” Varian agreed, reaching into his pockets. He went to stand, but fell back down and onto Hugo when the caravan gave a massive <em>shudder</em>. Hugo let out a grunt when Varian’s weight fell onto him, but was more concerned when he turned and saw that they had been <em>harpooned</em> out the back wall of their caravan. A thick metal spike had embedded itself through the back wall of their caravan, attached to a rope that was being dragged back by one of the men’s horses.</p><p> </p><p>The caravan slowed considerably, nearly stopping dead as Dolos struggled to pull it. The ropes groaned under the pressure, Hugo urging Dolos forwards.</p><p> </p><p>Another harpoon came launching from a gun in Lukas’ hands, the brunette cackling as it too punched a hole in the caravan’s wall. Dolos struggled to pull as the second rope went taught, a second horse pulling back. Their horse let out a distressed whinny as he fought, and Varian shot up to rush to the back. The caravan was basically stopped now, if anything it was starting to move <em>backwards</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Varian sprung back up, getting his feet back under him and starting to climb over the bench and onto the roof of the caravan as Lukas and his group began to draw closer.</p><p> </p><p>“Wha- <em>Varian wait</em>!” Hugo said, throwing out an arm to try and block Varian.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ve got to cut the ropes!” Varian yelled back, dodging Hugo’s flailing hands trying to stop him. He slipped past, sliding down the back of the caravan and onto the little step that led to the door. Varian frantically tugged at the metal spears embedded into the caravan wall, but they refused to budge. He gave it one more violent tug, but stopped when it nearly sent him falling off the caravan. Varian reached into his pocket, fumbling for a vial of acid he knew was in there, but another shudder nearly sent him falling off the edge.</p><p> </p><p>He could hear the braying of horses behind him, the two attached to the ropes fighting Dolos with everything they had. The wood paneling of the walls groaned under the stress, and Varian felt a touch of concern as they began to warp under the pressure. He began to climb back up to the roof with the intent of getting inside the caravan when he felt an electric <em>zing</em> up his spine.  </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>B̸̡̢̲̮̮͔͓͈̺͍̪̝̤̯̦͙̰̣͂̽̇̈́͐̐̀́̽͛́̈́͆͒̈̕Ě̵̢̧͉͖͙̮̜̭̩͉͖͍͍͎̳̬̔̽̇̕H̴̳͙̝̔͌͘͠Ḯ̵̹͇̱̭̬͖̏͌̌͆̅̒̓̆ͅN̵̠̜̙͙̭̖͓̻̯̞͚͆̾̆͊͛̃͊̀͗͆͂̓͋̀͊͂D̴̖̩͇̖̣̹̃̇͘̕͠ ̵̧̛͉̫̬̦̫̬̣̥͔͙̝̫̝͐̉͐̽̃̉̄͑̽̈̌̈́̇́͒̈́͗̃̚̕͜͠ͅY̸̛̭̭̖͚̔̂̋̓͛͐̚O̵̙͈̓͛̇̊͐͒̌͌́̾̿͆̆̒̄̎̈́́͘͠͠Ủ̷̦̫͗</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Varian turned around at the last second, but was stopped by two thick arms wrapping around him from behind. Varian let out a panicked yell, his hands uselessly pinned to his sides by the person holding him. He squirmed in the grip as he recognized Lukas’ voice in his ear.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s enough of that.” Lukas tightened his grip around Varian with one arm, the other leaving for a second. Varian tried one more time to wiggle free but stopped when he felt the cold bite of steel under his chin.</p><p> </p><p>Varian went still at the feeling of the knife, cringing back from the blade as it was drawn close to his skin. The alchemist could hear Hugo yelling from up front, and saw peg-leg and one-eye trying to wrestle the blond down from the driver's seat. Hugo jumped down, tossing an exploding bomb down at the men, nearly getting free. Lukas cleared his throat, drawing Hugo’s attention to Varian’s predicament. Hugo’s face dropped from a scowl to something Varian would almost call fear, the blond pausing with a bomb still held in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>The distraction was all eye-patch needed, grabbing Hugo from behind by the arms. Hugo didn’t even struggle, eyes on Varian, though more specifically on the knife at his throat.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s attention was drawn back by the soft press of the knife against his Adam's apple, the pressure just shy of enough to draw blood. He felt the body behind him lean forwards a little, and Varian shuddered when Lukas’ face drew close to his own. The brunette’s breath tickled Varian’s ear, making him cringe away from the feeling, only to feel the bite of steel on his throat.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello again, Pet.” Lukas muttered in Varian’s ear.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a fun one to write, tbh!! Love me some bonding!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. To Love but to be so Naïve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The boys have a rough afternoon. The Moonstone grows impatient with Varian's lack of progress.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Dumb as a bunch of stumps</em>, he says,” Varian griped as he wrestled with the ropes binding his wrists behind his back, “<em>We’ll be fine</em>, he says.”</p><p> </p><p>The ropes refused to give; Varian leaned back against the pole he’d been tied to with a huff.</p><p> </p><p>“In my defense,” Hugo said from across the square tent, “I didn’t see the harpoon gun coming.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian glared at the blond, tied in the same fashion to a separate pole so they faced one another. The tent was on the larger side, at least four meters squared. It was filled with tables that had been shoved to the side to keep Varian and Hugo away from them. Varian let out a huff, squirming again; the ache in his shoulders was getting worse the longer they stayed tied here, and it was starting to grate on Varian’s nerves.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think <em>anyone</em> saw the harpoon gun coming.” Varian finally conceded with a roll of his eyes. He tested the ropes around his wrists one more time, wiggling in the dirt as he tried to force his arms apart. He could feel the skin of his wrists starting to sting, so he stopped with a sigh.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Ũ̵̢̦͕͝s̴̗̆̒̄̚e̶̙̲̞̬̻͆̓́͐͐ ̵̜̽̓̃̄̑̍Ȍ̷͈͖̼̹̳̕u̶͈̫͍͍̓̀̈́̂̓̏r̴̮͛́͆̂͜ ̴̟͛̓͐̇͝P̶̢̝͓͑͋̚o̴̩͖͋͂̾͒w̶̥͉̝̽̒̒̈́ĕ̶̛̠̦̑̚r̶̖̯̃̊̎̚ </strong>said the Moonstone. Varian nodded at the suggestion, looking at Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>“You know I can get us out of here with-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shushed him frantically, shaking his head. “Nuh-uh, too dangerous.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian sulked. They were far enough away from each other that Varian couldn’t even kick Hugo, more's the pity. Hugo was right, because <em>of course</em> he was, but Varian hated this helpless feeling that he got, tied to a pole as he was. He was the host of an eldritch cosmic horror-terror, and here he was stopped by some rope and a well-placed wooden pole. </p><p>  </p><p>“Why do you suddenly think I need to hide?” Varian asked suddenly, tilting his head. “You were encouraging me to try and use it before… What changed?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo tensed, sinking into his pole. “Well, maybe I just know it wouldn’t be smart to get you kidnapped before we can reach Corona,” He said with a frown, refusing to meet Varian’s eye.</p><p> </p><p>Varian sighed at yet another deflection. He did his level best to kick a pebble at Hugo, scowling as it sailed far to the left of his target. They’d already been trapped in this tent overnight; Varian’s patience had run out <em>hours</em> ago.</p><p> </p><p>“Well we’re going to have to figure <em>something</em> out-” Varian said, “-because I don’t know about you but this whole <em>tied up in a tent </em>thing really isn’t doing it for me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so sorry, <em>your highness</em>,” A familiar voice said from the flapped entrance to the tent. Both Hugo and Varian’s heads snapped to the new voice, and their faces fell into twin scowls when they saw who it was.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be sure to log your complaint with our customer relations.” Lukas continued, walking into the tent properly. “And they’ll get back to you in the next <em>five-to-seven business days</em>.” The last bit was said as Lukas leaned right over Hugo, towering over the blond. Hugo merely glared back, seemingly bored. Lukas kicked at Hugo’s leg a little, looking like he enjoyed it quite a bit. Hugo grunted, but Varian could see him grit his teeth to avoid giving Lukas much more of a reaction beyond that.</p><p> </p><p>“So is this the part where you threaten us like a maniacal villain?” Hugo asked, “Or are you just going to skip right to the part where we escape and beat your ass?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian snickered, slouching over his bent knees. Lukas went a little red, he <em>definitely </em>had been planning on monologuing, then. Lukas kicked Hugo’s leg again, scoffing.</p><p> </p><p>“What, like some two-cent criminal? Hugo where’s your <em>showmanship</em>?” Lukas said with an overdramatic disappointment. His expression brightened quickly, however, as he glanced over to Hugo. “Nah, we’re just gonna kick the shit out of you, is all. Send Donella a little <em>message</em> about how our last transaction went.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian paled at the blatant proclamation, shrinking a bit as peg-leg and one-eye entered the tent as well. Hugo and Varian looked at each other with twin grimaces as peg-leg drew out a knife, the metal glinting in the afternoon sun breaking through the fabric walls of the tent. Hugo didn’t seem overly concerned, to be honest, but Varian flinched back when the men each grabbed Hugo by an arm and lifted the blond like he didn’t weigh a thing. Lukas watched with glee as they cut the ropes holding Hugo’s wrists, quickly escorting their prisoner from the tent.</p><p> </p><p>Varian just caught sight of Hugo’s concerned expression before he was dragged away.</p><p> </p><p>“Anyways, pet,” Lukas said, now that he and Varian were alone in the tent. “I have a proposition for you.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian flinched when Lukas drew close, the man crouching so he was on par with Varian. Lukas leaned close, hooking his jaw over Varian’s shoulder even as the shorter boy froze up at the contact. Varian cringed, feeling the brunette’s breath on his cheek. Lukas reached behind Varian, cutting through the ropes binding him with a well-placed slice of the knife he’d used to hold Varian hostage before. Lukas backed off a little once the ropes were cut; Varian wasn’t exactly upset when he did so. The smaller boy sighed in relief as his aching shoulders could finally move, the boy bringing his wrists up and rubbing the soreness from them.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s your plan, then?” Varian asked, still seated as Lukas slowly stood from his crouch, towering over his captive. Varian didn’t let his scowl fall, letting Lukas know <em>exactly</em> what he thought of this whole situation. “Beat up Hugo and send us on our way? Seems like a waste of time to me.”</p><p> </p><p>Lukas let out a little laugh, holding out a hand to help Varian to his feet. If it were anyone else Varian would have taken it, but due to the present company he slapped it out of the way and shakily got to his feet by himself. Sitting on the ground, tied to a pole mind you, had done a <em>number</em> on Varian. His limbs ached, the soreness sinking deep into his bones as he finally got the chance to move after a full night of being stuck in place. He still had his pride, however.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, we’re letting Hugo go, sure.” Lukas said, wrapping an arm around Varian’s waist. Varian shuddered at the contact; it was so different from when Hugo had touched him-</p><p> </p><p>“But I know a guy who’s in the market for pretty toys.” Lukas said, idly playing with Varian’s hair stripe. “And he’s got a <em>thing</em> for blue eyes.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian, as much as it felt impossible, tensed further. He tried to shrink away, but Lukas held firm as he kept talking. “So <em>you</em>, pet, are going to make me a <em>very</em> nice chunk of change. Unless you can convince me otherwise.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s stomach churned at the implications, even as Lukas bullied him forwards using his grip on Varian’s waist. He went willingly, eyeing the knife in Lukas’ other hand. It was a large hunting knife, partially serrated close to the leather handle. A nice, <em>shiny</em> target. It would be iffy, but Adira had certainly taught Varian enough in hand to hand combat that Varian was willing to at least try and snatch the knife if he got the chance.</p><p> </p><p>He’d just had to be <em>smart about it</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Lukas seemed uncaring as they left the tent, a great meaty <em>smack</em> of fist on skin ringing out as they emerged into the sun. Varian cringed when he saw Hugo’s head snap sideways as he was punched, One-eye holding the blond by the shoulders while Peg-leg swung. They were in the center of a circle of jeering men, all of them just as scruffy and unpleasant looking as the two currently accosting Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>The blond let out a wheeze as Peg-leg drove a meaty fist into his gut, the blond doubling over. Hugo’s glasses were already missing, his ponytail long ruined. His skin was marred by angry red marks all over his face, made only worse with each hit. Varian found himself trying to move forwards, but was stopped by Lukas’ arm tightening. Hugo looked up; his face was set into a firm scowl. His green eyes snapped from Varian’s face and down to the tight grip Lukas had on Varian’s waist, and Hugo began to struggle against Eye-patch.</p><p> </p><p>“Lukas you <em>weasel</em>!” Hugo yelled, voice hoarse, “Just you <em>wait </em>until I get a hold of you, you slimy little cree-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was cut off by another punch. Varian winced when Hugo spat blood, a new split cracking down his lip. Lukas grinned, reeling Varian in closer so that Lukas could push his face next to Varian’s. “Why Hugo,” Lukas taunted, “It’s almost like you <em>care</em>. How cute.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian shied away from the touch as much as he could, bringing up his hands to uselessly shove at Lukas. The brunette didn’t seem to even notice, forcing Varian to watch as Peg-leg drove another punch into Hugo’s stomach. Hugo scowled, gritting his teeth. Lukas merely waved to the blond with a smirk, smiling as his men continued to beat Hugo to a pulp.</p><p> </p><p>Varian cringed at the noise of cracking teeth, looking away only to catch the glint of the knife in the sunlight. Lukas’ grip on it was much more relaxed, the brunette seeming confident in his power over them for the moment. Varian kept himself somewhat loose, reaching into his pocket. If he could just time this right-</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>S̸̠̃̎̏h̵̛̰̉̽͆͠o̶̙̞̙̿u̴̧͈̻͍͖̓̆̋̈́l̵̟͔̰͕̇͂ḓ̴̄͑̌̒ ̵̼͇̥͑J̵͎͆̚͠u̸͈̹̯͛̏̿̅s̷̠̈́̽̊͋̄͝ẗ̴̨͒͑͐͌ ̶̬͖͔̬̐̏Ḳ̷͂̽̊ì̷͎͍̳͖̾̐ľ̶̯̱̟̰͆ļ̴̦̩͛̿ ̶̺͛Ḣ̸͙̩̅͝i̷͉͚͊̈́̈́̒̂m̵͎̀̉̋̔</strong>
</p><p> </p><p><em>No, shut up</em>, Varian thought back as he rolled his eyes, <em>we’re not killing anyone</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>N̷̩̳̽̓ȏ̸̢̠͇ ̷̡̛̛͔̼̩̖͑̀͂͝ͅF̶̭̫̣̼̔ǘ̸̥͚ň̴̡̢͂̍̑</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>The vial of acid in Varian’s pocket was small, unassuming. It was a wonder they hadn’t searched Varian hard enough to find it, but it was obvious that Lukas didn’t expect much resistance from Varian in general.</p><p> </p><p>His mistake, of course.</p><p> </p><p>The vial was a welcome weight, even as Varian twisted around and smashed it to pieces into Lukas’ head. The brunette let out a cry as the glass shattered against his skull, the cry turning <em>shrill</em> as the acid began to burn. Varian’s gloves crunched with the feeling of broken glass, but to his relief nothing punctured though. The acid wasn’t enough to do a crazy amount of damage, but it was certainly enough to hurt, as Varian had learned the hard way. Varian used Lukas’ distraction to his advantage, spinning out of the grip on him and reversing their positions so that Varian was up behind Lukas. With deft hands he grabbed the knife, bringing it up to Lukas’ neck. Varian snagged one of Lukas’ flailing arms, roughly pinning it behind Lukas’s back to keep him in place.</p><p> </p><p>“Any of you <em>move</em>-” Varian yelled to the shocked crowd of bandits, his hostage still screaming in pain, “-and I’ll slit his throat before you can get close!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo, bless him, began to <em>cackle</em>. Lukas struggled, but couldn’t break Varian’s grip. The alchemist leaned forwards, gripping Lukas’ wrist just a <em>smidge</em> too tightly. The irony wasn’t lost on him, this reversal of positions, but it made something in Varian’s blood <em>sing</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“So, <em>pet</em>,” Varian said to Lukas, “I have a proposition for you.”</p><p> </p><p>The brunette tried one more time to escape, struggling against Varian’s grip. The shorter boy yanked harder on Lukas’ arm, roughly pulling it further back until he heard the unsavoury grinding of a scapula pushed too far. Lukas squealed at the pain, finally giving in. “Lay it on me, then.” Lukas spat through grit teeth.</p><p> </p><p>“First, you’re going to let Hugo go.” Varian started, looking pointedly at Eye-patch. The large man brought his hands up in surrender, letting Hugo drop to the ground. The blond let out a grunt, but staggered to his feet, at least. Varian offered Eye-patch a happy smile, and continued. “Next, I want to know where Dolos is.”</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s Dolos?” Lukas grit out, the pain of the acid clearly getting to him. Varian could smell burning hair, and knew that the acid was slowly making its way into the cuts caused by the broken glass of the vial. Lukas had a heavy amount of blood running down his face, and though Varian felt queasy at the sight of it he held firm. Hugo wasn’t in any position to fight, so Varian would have to be the one to pick up the slack this time.</p><p> </p><p>“Dolos is our horse.” Varian said calmly, tapping the blade of the knife against Lukas’ Adam’s apple. “And I would very much appreciate his safe return to Hugo and I, as well as the raccoon that was with him. Along with our caravan, <em>fully stocked</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Lukas’ expression went downright murderous. “No way you little <em>bitch</em>-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian tutted, digging the blade of the knife in just a <em>little</em> deeper. Something dark in him reveled in the scared gasp Lukas let out at the feeling of biting steel. Varian knew <em>exactly</em> where to cut; he couldn’t have his hostage bleeding out, of course. It was strange, to hold someone’s fate in his hands, even in such an over-dramatic way. Varian knew the ways to cut a throat in a survivable way, where to <em>just </em>clip by the artery to get your point across. Adira had shown Varian years ago, because <em>of course</em> she had.</p><p> </p><p>It was nothing if not useful information now, so Varian supposed it was worth it, in the end.</p><p> </p><p>“Mh, that’s disappointing.” Varian sighed, “And here I was about to say that was the last of our demands. But I guess if you’re <em>that</em> content to die on this hill, who am I to disagree-”</p><p> </p><p>Lukas finally let out a frightened puff of air, waving a hand to his men. Two of them broke off, Varian would assume to get Dolos. There was an awkward silence around the camp, despite the precarious situation they’d all found themselves in. Lukas let out another offended grunt, glaring at Varian from the side. Varian merely looked back with a sickly-sweet smile, once again tapping the knife in a silent threat.</p><p> </p><p>The smile turned real, however, when Varian caught sight of a familiar horse and caravan being led by one of the thugs.</p><p> </p><p>“Perfect.” Varian said, not moving a muscle. “Hugo, be a dear and get on the road, would you? I’ll <em>catch up</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked at Varian like he was insane, but did as he asked. The blond slowly made his way up to the driver’s bench, climbing slowly as his injuries caught up with him. With one last look to Varian, who nodded at him, Hugo took Dolos’ reins and was off. Dolos moved as swiftly as he always did, leaving the camp behind in a plume of dust. With Hugo out of danger, Varian breathed a sigh of relief; it was much easier to work without having to think about his friend’s safety.</p><p> </p><p>As Hugo left the camp, Varian dragged Lukas to the edge of the settlement. The road they were on was well used, one that Varian knew would be easy to follow. He chanced a look behind him, seeing as the caravan disappeared between the trees, long gone. Varian grinned as he watched it vanish, turning back to Lukas and his cronies.</p><p> </p><p>Now came the hard part.  </p><p> </p><p>“You’re making a dangerous enemy,” Lukas spat, ever the annoying bastard. “I hope you know there’s not gonna be a <em>hole in the ground</em> you’ll be able to hide in-”</p><p> </p><p>“Mh, see,” Varian cut him off, “I feel like this turned out <em>pretty well </em>for me.” Another tap to the jugular with the knife shut Lukas up pretty quickly.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>K̴̨̤̪͈͎̄͜I̴̻͚̩͎͐̂͑͑̅ͅL̸͙̮͂͋̈́L̴̫̦̺̰͋͆͝ ̶̮̕H̵̄ͅI̵̟̍̄͗M̶̧͉̰͇͋̒͂͝</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>It was certainly tempting, but wouldn’t be worth it in the long run. Varian finally released Lukas, roughly shoving him forwards. Varian gripped the knife a little tighter as the bandits all glared at him with ugly looks. Adira had always said to <em>fake it</em> if he were ever scared, but Varian had the sneaking suspicion that she hadn’t had <em>this</em> kind of scenario in mind when she’d told him that.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m keeping the knife,” Varian said, waving it slightly to distract the crowd as he reached into his other pocket. His hand wrapped around another vial, this time round like a bomb. He gripped it tightly, still drawing attention to the blade in his other hands. Bless their idiot hearts, it was working, the lot of them watching the shiny with rapt attention.</p><p> </p><p><em>Idiots</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Varian whipped the bomb out from his pocket, slamming it down onto the ground. It exploded in a plume of blue smoke on impact, a large swirl of thick cloud overtaking Varian immediately. Varian was running before anyone knew what was happening, disappearing into the woods. The trees flew past him as he ran, a swirl of leaves and underbrush as he bolted deeper into the forest. He could hear Lukas shrieking for his men to fan out and find Varian, demanding that they bring him back. Hugo didn’t even seem to be a target anymore, the offense of Varian’s turning tables on Lukas more than enough to draw the ire of the group.</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a gasp as he kept running, sprinting through the trees. He’d never catch up with Dolos on foot, but he had a better idea. Varian slammed his back up against a tree, listening intently into the forest. He could hear the men shouting, but it sounded more like Lukas was screaming more about <em>evil little bitches</em> than he was giving actual orders. <em>What a moron</em>, Varian thought as he fought to control his breathing.</p><p> </p><p>Once he was sure he was out of sight, he let the Moonstone <em>push</em>. With a small flash of blue in his hair, a platform of the black rocks appeared under him. With a small mental shove he sent it forwards, struggling to balance as it raced through the trees. The cries from the men behind him quickly disappeared, lost to the woods as Varian vanished without a trace.</p><p> </p><p>He rode the rocks for another mile or so, weaving through the trees, until he heard a familiar neighing. He eventually found the source, heaving a relieved breath at the sight of Dolos sprinting down the path, the caravan pulled behind him. Varian guided the rocks up next to the moving caravan, laughing when Hugo let out a startled yell when he saw Varian. He kept the rocks moving at speed with the caravan for a few seconds more, debating, but eventually just shrugged and went for the easiest option.</p><p> </p><p>Varian stepped off the rock platform and onto the caravan, dropping himself primly onto the passenger side of the bench with an expectant look. The rocks were quickly left behind, crumbling back into the earth as they raced away together. Hugo looked at Varian with something new in his wide eyes, slowing Dolos to a trot.</p><p> </p><p>“I have literally never been more attracted to you than I am right now.” Hugo blurted out, going red the moment he registered what he was saying. Varian felt his face split into a smile, the boy cracking up at Hugo’s face as it went the colour of a cherry.</p><p> </p><p>“We should pull over soon,” Is all Varian said, showing pity. “I want to get a look at your ribs. And your face. And your-”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, thanks Goggles I got it.” Hugo griped, “We can’t <em>all</em> escape without a scratch using our freaky-magic-moon-powers.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian giggled, the relief of their escape finally washing over him. He sank back into his seat, running a hand through his hair as the wind tossed it in every direction.</p><p> </p><p>“You think they’re going to follow us?” Varian asked, looking behind them and down the dirt path warily.</p><p> </p><p>“Nah,” Hugo shrugged, letting Dolos slow now that they were out of danger. “After the stunt you just pulled? Lukas is an idiot, but he’s not <em>that</em> dumb. There’s always new targets to go after, ones that will give him less trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian nodded, letting out a sigh as he rubbed idly at his aching wrists. Hugo looked like he’d been put through a meat grinder, to be honest. The blond had what was definitely the start of an angry bruise on his cheekbone, the purple already beginning to shine in the mid-afternoon sun. Hugo kept tonguing at the split in his lip, the blood from it looking bright red and <em>angry</em> against the paleness of the taller teen’s face. Varian cringed when Hugo turned, the alchemist catching sight of a second, harsher bruise on the other side of his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, pull over.” Varian said, reaching for Dolos’ reins.</p><p> </p><p>“Not yet,” Hugo argued, “I want us far away from them before stopping-”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re hurt.” Varian said firmly, “And we’re lost. <em>Pull over</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo frowned, but even he seemed to admit he couldn’t keep going. “Alright,” Hugo finally admitted, “But only for a while. Then we’re back on the road.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s answering smile was bright. Hugo seemed to blush at the sight of it, ducking away as Dolos finally stopped. They hopped off the caravan and into the grass lining the road, Varian hitting the ground first. Hugo took a little more time, gingerly climbing down as he tried not to make his injuries worse. Varian winced when he saw Hugo grit his teeth, but still drew a first aid kit from a side storage compartment of the caravan.  </p><p> </p><p>“Alright,” Varian said, a quick flash of his hair drawing a pair of flattened, chair height black rocks from the earth. “Let’s get you looked at.”</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was fine, for the most part. <em>Sore</em>, sure, but fine. Varian dabbed at his split lip with a wet rag, doing his level best to be gentle. Hugo winced, and Varian fixed him with an exasperated look.</p><p> </p><p>“I <em>swear by the Moon</em>,” Varian griped, “If you don’t stop flinching, I’m going to tie you down.”</p><p> </p><p>“Promise?” Hugo said, fluttering his eyelashes. Varian flushed, shoving the blond’s face away. Hugo did look much better without the blood and the dirt on his face, and a spare pair of glasses he’d stashed somewhere in the caravan. Sure, he’d have quite the black eye for the next week, and if he didn’t stop tonguing at that split lip it would never heal, but he’d <em>live</em>.</p><p> </p><p>From the looks of it, Dolos too seemed okay, as did Ruddiger who had hidden under the bunks for the whole event. The raccoon had seemed almost feral when Varian had first opened the door to the caravan, but the little rodent had changed his tune quickly at the sight of Varian. The raccoon was currently patrolling around their little clearing, puffing up at anything that made noise.</p><p> </p><p>In all honesty, they’d gotten away scot free. Varian was grateful; Adira had told him about the kind of things that could happen in a bandit camp. He shuddered slightly, using a canteen of water to re-wet the rag. Varian brought it back up to Hugo’s face, cleaning away the last of the blood from his chin.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” Hugo asked into the silence between them. “I saw Lukas getting handsy-”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine!” Varian blurted out, pushing at Hugo’s face a little harder than needed. “I’m absolutely fine, why wouldn’t I be-”</p><p> </p><p>“Sweetcheeks.” Hugo said, taking Varian’s hands in his own. Hugo moved them away from his face, trying to get Varian to look him in the eye. “It’s okay to be scared. You’re <em>allowed</em> to be scared.”</p><p> </p><p>“If I get scared, I’ll lose control.” Varian whispered back, not pulling away but not meeting his gaze either. “And if I lose control it’ll take over.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked sad, holding Varian’s hands a little tighter. “That’s not healthy, Varian,” He said, feeling like a hypocrite the whole time. “You’re allowed to… well you shouldn’t bottle those kinds of things up-”</p><p> </p><p>“No, Hairstripe’s right.” A familiar voice said from the woods beyond the path. Both boys snapped to look at the forest, tensing when Adira appeared. Ruddiger let out a frantic chirp, scurrying to Varian’s side. Both Varian and Hugo shot to their feet, the black rocks disappearing into the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian.” Adira said, standing tall on the edge of the road. Her face was impassive, but Varian could see her eyes focusing on where the rocks had disappeared into the dirt, followed by snapping up to glare at Hugo. <em>Secret’s out, I guess</em>, Varian thought frantically.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s grip moved from Varian’s hands to his arms, shoving Varian behind him. The blond began to back them up towards the caravan, but both of them stopped with a startle when Varian bumped into a second figure.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry,” Hector said as he snatched Varian by the back of his collar. “Not this time.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian gasped as he was grabbed, shoving Hugo forwards and out of Hector’s range. The blond stumbled, backing away from all three of them as Adira approached. Hugo’s hands went for his pockets, but they were still empty after Lukas had confiscated all their tricks. Varian struggled, but gave up pretty quickly in the face of his guardians, sinking in shame as they glared at him.</p><p> </p><p>“That stunt in the mountains was cute.” Hector said as he dropped Varian, only for Adira to grab the boy by the ear. “And I’d be impressed if it wasn’t such a <em>pain in my ass</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Agreed.” Adira said, ignoring how Varian flailed for freedom, trying to tug his ear from her grip. “Now, we’re going <em>home</em>-”</p><p> </p><p>“No!” Varian yelled, eyes sparking blue as a small wave of rocks appeared under Adira’s feet. The woman lost her balance, stumbling. Varian took his chance, scurrying away, towards Hugo. “<em>No</em>, I’m not going back yet.”</p><p> </p><p>Hector and Adria turned to face their nephew; Hugo could see the concern in their eyes. They didn’t even look angry, Hugo noticed with a start, in fact the two of them looked <em>scared</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Kid, please.” Hector said, holding his hands out beseechingly. “Your dad’s been losing his mind for three weeks; <em>we’ve</em> been losing our minds for three weeks. We just want you safe, and we need to get home and pack so-”</p><p> </p><p>“Pack?” Varian asked, stepping back. Hugo went stiff as Varian essentially pushed his back against the blond’s front, but neither shied away form the contact. Instead Hugo brought up his hands to hold onto Varian’s upper arms in a show of solidarity. Adira’s eyes caught the movement, and Hugo could see as her glare narrowed. Varian was looking at his guardians with confusion. “What do you mean <em>pack</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>“We have to assume the farm’s been compromised.” Adira said, “Especially after your stunt in the cliffs. Once we get back, we’re going to pack up what we can and move somewhere else.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not going back yet.” Varian said, effectively ignoring <em>that</em> fun tidbit. “I’ll come home when I’m ready. If you try and take me back now, I’ll fight you. Just… just let me get to Corona. And then I’ll come home willingly. Just let me <em>try</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Adira’s face remained impassive, but Hector’s was calculating.</p><p> </p><p>“Absolutely not-” Adira began, just as Hector nodded his head and said “<em>Deal</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The woman’s head whipped around to her brother, her face furious. “<em>No deal</em>,” She said, pointing at Hector. “He comes home, <em>now</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“I say we let him go.” Hector argued, looking Varian dead in the eye. “He’s old enough to make his own mistakes… and when he’s ready to come limping home, we’ll be waiting.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian scowled at that, especially when Hector began to smirk. Adira clenched her fists, seemingly calculating. Varian could see the wheels begin to spin in her head, and opened his mouth to keep trying to convince her, but let up as she let out a frustrated huff.</p><p> </p><p>“Fine.” Adira groaned, as if it pained her, “I don’t feel like dragging him all the way back either way.”</p><p> </p><p>She grabbed a hold of the leather strap keeping her sword in place, lifting the whole thing up and over her head. She walked forwards, towering over Varian’s determined figure. She roughly shoved the sword and scabbard into his chest, Varian letting out a little <em>oomph</em> from the force of it.</p><p> </p><p>“When this is done, you come <em>straight home</em>.” She said, her eyes flicking from Varian to Hugo, glare steely. “And if your little <em>friend</em> values his fingers, he’d best be sure you stay safe.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian gently held the sword, looking up to his auntie as she let go of it. He looked down to the sword, and back up to her. His eyes welled with tears, and he gripped the scabbard just a little tighter.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re going to trust you on this one, Hairstripe.” She muttered, looking back to Hector. “<em>Please</em> don’t make us regret it.”</p><p> </p><p>She turned away at that, marching back to Hector. The man followed at her shoulder, the two of them disappearing into the depths of the woods just as quickly as they’d emerged. Varian’s hand reached up towards their retreating backs before he could stop himself, but the boy didn’t move from where he stood with Hugo. Adira and Hector vanished between the trees once again; Varian and Hugo were suddenly alone on the side of the road.</p><p> </p><p>Varian took a shuddering breath, letting his hand drop. He looked down to Adira’s sword in his hands, clenching it tightly in its scabbard. With a final breath Varian brought the scabbard up; he looped the leather strap of it around his own shoulders, letting the weight of the sword settle on his back. Varian turned to Hugo, carefully wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“We keep moving.” Varian said, shoving away and stalking towards the caravan. Hugo watched him go, eyes flicking between Varian and the forest.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are we going?” Hugo asked, honestly unsure. Varian roughly climbed up onto the caravan, slamming himself down onto the bench.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Forwards</em>.” Varian spat, refusing to look into the woods beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Forwards it was, then.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was startled awake by the caravan door slamming shut.</p><p> </p><p>He sat up with a snort, fumbling for his glasses in the darkness. He finally found them, shoving them onto his face with a groan. Hugo shot from his bed, assuming Varian had another nightmare. They’d been getting worse, the closer they got to Corona. Hugo would be worried if he weren’t constantly concerned with Donella’s looming presence.</p><p> </p><p>Moonlight streamed through the caravan, their hastily patchwork covers for the two holes caused by Lukas’ harpoons having fallen when the door slammed. Yet another thing to fix tomorrow, Hugo noticed with a pulse of irritation. The blond stumbled towards the door, half drunk with drowsiness.</p><p> </p><p>Ruddiger chittered in concern, scratching at the door frantically. Hugo gently nudged him out of the way, the raccoon bolting out of the door the minute he could fit his fat little body through.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo opened the door to the caravan the rest of the way, seeing a flash of blue light disappear into the trees. “Goggles?” Hugo asked, jumping down from the caravan and into the dirt. He quickly scrabbled for his boots, pulling them on as the light got fainter. Hugo nearly tripped over himself in the dark, even with the moon bright and full in the sky.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo quickly followed the fading light into the forest, noting that it was getting further away. Varian was moving, wherever he was, quickly leaving the camp behind. The blond let out a curse as he smashed his foot against a rock, nearly stumbling over it as he scrambled to get his feet under him, and picked up his pace.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian?!” Hugo’s voice was louder now, the blond nearly running to keep up with the flash of blue light that kept eluding him. “Wait!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo finally came to a stop at the edge of a large clearing in the trees, his green eyes narrowing with concern at a large drop off in the center, looking to be at least fifty feet deep. The sound of a raging river coming from the chasm below, the whole thing nearly twenty feet wide. Hugo’s eyes followed the line of the cliff face, focusing on a slight figure in the distance. Its hair glowed a familiar blue as it walked closer to the edge of the canyon.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Varian</em>!” Hugo’s voice went shrill as Varian drew closer to the edge, the blond sprinting towards the shorter boy before his mind caught up with him. Varian was slowly shuffling towards the deadly drop into the raging rapids below. Hugo could see his hair floating, glowing the same ethereal blue Hugo had seen when the Moonstone was active. As Hugo drew closer, he found himself hesitating to reach out; his hand was frozen in the air, reaching towards Varian’s back.</p><p> </p><p>There was a strange electricity to the air, the crackle of power so real Hugo could feel his hair stand up on end. The closer his fingers got to Varian the worse they felt, a strange numbness seeping into his skin. They were only feet apart, but Varian had yet to respond to Hugo’s frantic calling.</p><p> </p><p>The boy turned, and Hugo felt a chill run down his spine. Varian looked rumpled in his sleep clothes and missing shoes, but his face was nearly vacant. His eyes were wide, glowing blue in the light of the moon. Hugo couldn’t see neither sclera nor pupil in them; the sight of it more than a little unnerving. Varian’s face was blank, as if he were still asleep. When he caught sight of Hugo, however, he smiled. Hugo felt sick, it wasn’t Varian’s usual little grin, this was one wide and <em>hungry</em>.</p><p> </p><p><strong>“H̶̡̲̱̲̗͔̉̌̅̀̂͘͝e̷͎̗͋̃̒̄̕l̴̰̗̔̄̒͝l̷͓͇̙̞͈̥̬̅͑͒̿̓͘͜o̸̡̱̹͚̳̭̜͈͆̃̍̊͋̉̌̓ͅ ̸͖̬̦͕̪̃̉̔̐͌͆̓̚ͅ’</strong> Said Varian, but also <em>not</em> Varian. His voice sounded layered, a female voice echoing just a second later than Varian’s own voice. “I see you’ve followed my <strong>H̴͎̓͒͒̌̾͊͐͛̂o̶̺̱͍̓͋ş̷̭͕͚͕̓̐̓̓̀̈́͆͜ͅͅt̸̥͍̤̲͔̆̇̐̎͒̒̂͘ͅ</strong> and I.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shuddered, but stood a little straighter. Varian was concerningly close to the edge; one more step and the boy would plummet off the cliff and into the water.</p><p> </p><p>“No matter,” Varian… or, maybe not Varian, said. Hugo got the feeling he was speaking to the Moonstone, the way she had mentioned a <em>host</em>. “It will be <strong>O̷̺̞̟͓̝͓̼͈͋̓̍̓͑̕v̸͍̝̐̍̈́̍͊ͅe̸̺͚͈͙̍͜r̵̛̜̠̼̻̾̀̾̂̒</strong> soon.”</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone took a step backwards, Varian’s heel hitting the edge of the cliff. Hugo let out a noise of fear, reaching forwards before he could stop himself and grabbing Varian’s hand. “<em>No</em>!” Hugo shouted, holding firm even as the Moonstone tried to tug Varian from his grasp.</p><p> </p><p><strong>“E̴̺̙̝̠̺̟͍͐̌n̴̝̝̼̰̪̉̆̔̋õ̴̯̞̝͌̈́̄͒̔͠u̵̠̍͝ǵ̴̨͉̜͔̕ḫ̶̆”</strong> The Moonstone snarled, shoving at Hugo. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to be able to affect how strong Varian was. The shoves were rough but nothing that Hugo couldn’t take. The blond felt a pulse of fear, seeing Varian’s typically happy face warped into such an angry scowl was borderline unnatural. Hugo refused to let go, trying to tug Varian away from the cliff.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo struggled against the Moonstone, his boots digging into the dirt as they fought. “If he’s your host, then stop! You’ll kill him!” The blond argued, scanning Varian’s face for any kind of recognition. He didn’t find any, the blue lights of Varian’s eyes <em>angry</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“And when he <strong>D̷̻̻̘͕͙̐̑̀ì̶̼͚̦͔̎̃̓ͅẻ̴̼̲̪͈̜̖̂͑̍̑͆̾̊s̷̫͉̯̳͊̽͑͋͋̑</strong>.” The Moonstone said, “I return to my original form and find a better <strong>H̴͎̓͒͒̌̾͊͐͛̂o̶̺̱͍̓͋ş̷̭͕͚͕̓̐̓̓̀̈́͆͜ͅͅt̸̥͍̤̲͔̆̇̐̎͒̒̂͘ͅ,... </strong>one who will listen.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s grip on Varian went just a little lax in shock. That was all the Moonstone needed, ripping Varian’s hand from Hugo’s with a snarl. The Moonstone turned Varian’s face to the sky, leaning backwards as she closed his eyes. There was a brief second of silence, the world going still. </p><p> </p><p>Varian began to tip backwards off the cliff.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let out a scream as he lunged forwards, the noise echoing over the sound of rushing water. Hugo’s fingers just barely snagging the front of Varian’s sleep shirt, roughly tugging Varian forwards and away from the cliff.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo wasn’t ready for Varian to turn to dead weight in his grip, the shorter boy slamming into his chest as Varian went limp. Hugo lost his balance, falling back towards the ground with a grunt. They tumbled a little, rolling a few times from the force of impact. The two of them finally stopped, Hugo on his stomach and blinking down at the ground in shock. Varian didn’t move, the boy flat on his back. Hugo gasped for breath. groaning as a rock dug into his chest. Hugo snapped back to attention, scrambling up and finding himself overtop of Varian, their legs intertwined as Hugo checked the smaller boy’s pulse.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo noted, with a dread that felt like a punch to the gut, that Varian’s hair had gone dark, and his eyes were still closed.</p><p> </p><p>If Hugo didn’t know any better, he’d say Varian looked <em>dead</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Sweetcheeks, c’mon-” Hugo muttered, “Oh <em>shit</em>, don’t be dead, I don’t think I could handle it if you were dead-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo leaned further over Varian, listening with bated breath for the sound of breathing. The blond’s heartbeat was thunder in his ears, too loud to hear anything else. Hugo grit his teeth, pushing himself up onto one hand, planted firmly near Varian’s ear, the other cupping Varian’s cold cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Varian</em>,” Hugo heaved the name through panicked breaths, “Varian, <em>please</em>-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian woke with a gasp, his regular blue eyes wide and fearful.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo?” He murmured, chest spasming as he tried to force air into his lungs, “Where- are we <em>outside</em>? What-”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, thank the Maker.” Hugo gasped, the relief slamming into him as he focused on Varian’s big, <em>regular</em>, blue eyes. Hugo let out a little laugh, moving the hand on Varian’s cheek to the ground next to Varian’s other ear. Hugo looked down at Varian’s pale face with barely concealed affection, feeling the tension he’d had bleed from his shoulders. Varian stared up at him, confused but <em>not</em> <em>dead</em>, and that was more than enough for Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>Until Hugo’s leg shifted, brushing up against Varian’s knee. The smaller boy immediately went tomato red as he realized <em>exactly</em> what kind of position they were in. Hugo tensed, borderline flying backwards, up and off of Varian with his hands up in a sort of defense. The blond felt his face burn, looking away and towards the cliff Varian had nearly fallen from.</p><p> </p><p>There was a beat of awkward silence between the two of them, Varian’s face going from bright red to a paler tone as he finally seemed to recognize where they were. The shorter boy sat up slowly, rubbing at his temple with a wince. “What happened?” He finally asked, looking at Hugo with confusion. “Why are we outside?”</p><p> </p><p>“I think I just met the Moonstone.” Hugo said with apprehension, not looking away from the cliff as he tried to get his blush under control. He idly rubbed at the back of his neck, tugging at his hair, it felt weird to not have it in its regular ponytail. “Or at least, the voice of it-”</p><p> </p><p>“Voice?” Varian asked in panic, and Hugo turned back around to catch the absolutely <em>horrified </em>look on Varian’s face. “You mean-”</p><p> </p><p>“The stuff of nightmares?” Hugo shot back, “Yeah, Glowstick, <em>that</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian bit at his lip, curling into himself. “I- I didn’t want you to know about that.” He finally bit out. “It’s part of the Moonstone… it, uh, it talks to me? But- I don’t, I, <em>uh-</em>” Varian’s breaths began to hitch as he tried to explain, the stress of it all seeming to begin to crash down as the smaller boy began to stumble over his words.</p><p> </p><p>“Woah, okay.” Hugo said, seeing Varian begin to spiral. “Let’s not go there yet.”</p><p> </p><p>The air had gone cold, especially so close to moving water. Hugo could see Varian starting to shiver, the smaller boy’s bare feet digging into the dirt underneath him. At least Hugo had shoes, but even then, he was feeling the chill begin to creep in. This wasn’t the place for a long conversation.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go back to camp.” Hugo finally said, offering a hand down to Varian. “We’ll talk more in front of a fire, maybe something to drink?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked at Hugo like he’d hung the moon in the sky.</p><p> </p><p>“Please?” Is all Varian said in response, taking Hugo’s offered hand and letting the blond pull him to his feet.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Varian hadn’t spoken much on their way back to camp. Hugo had forced him to sit, shaking like a leaf, in front of the burnt-out shell of where their fire had been. Varian shuddered in the chill of the evening; the bright light of the full moon smothered him. Hugo quickly puttered around the camp, relighting the fire and disappearing into the caravan.</p><p> </p><p>Varian shook as he tried to bring warmth back to his limbs, rubbing at his arms in the evening’s chill. Something deep in him knew that it wasn’t the temperature of the air that was causing him to feel cold, that the feeling was coming from <em>inside</em>. Hugo emerged from the caravan, tossing a blue blanket onto Varian flippantly. Varian tugged it tight around his shoulders, but reached out when Hugo went to walk away again. He snagged Hugo’s hand, a parody of what had happened on the cliff. Hugo turned around with a questioning look, but Varian held firm.</p><p> </p><p>“I- don’t leave?” Varian asked, more a question than a request. “<em>Please</em>? I don’t want to be alone right now.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo paused, looking down at Varian with something unreadable in his expression. He seemed to question himself for a second, but finally sat down next to Varian. The blond wrapped his own green blanket around his shoulders, the two of them leaning up against a log. There was an uncomfortable silence as they stared into the fire, sitting side by side. Varian picked idly at his bare hands, but finally grit his teeth and decided to get it over with.</p><p> </p><p>“The Moonstone’s been speaking to me since before I can remember.” Varian finally started. Hugo looked at him with concern, but didn’t say anything. Varian refused to look at him, staring at the fire in front of him. “It’s never done anything like that, though. I didn’t think that it could. It’s just… talked to me, before. Kept telling me to go out and find the Sundrop.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo nodded, idly reaching an arm to rub at Varian’s back. “Well, I won’t say that doesn’t sound concerning.” He said, playing for casualness even as Varian curled up tighter and tighter, hugging his knees to his chest. Hugo paused for a brief second, before shuffling closer so that they were hip to hip.</p><p> </p><p>This was a very new thing, this fledgling idea of something <em>more</em>. Varian could feel it growing in his chest, in the flush of his face and the beating of his heart as he curled into Hugo’s side. He craved the comfort, the intimacy, of being so close to someone he cared for greatly. Varian couldn’t help but cling closer, sinking in the warmth offered to him; he still felt so <em>cold</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“I think she’s mad at me.” Varian finally said, burrowing closer and innocently tucking his head under Hugo’s chin. “She said I wasn’t moving quick enough; she wants me to get to Sundrop sooner rather than later.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian could hear Hugo’s heartbeat, namely how it sped up.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, we’re almost to Corona.” Hugo said, his hand planting itself firmly on Varian’s side as his arm fully wrapped around the smaller boy. “Couple more days, right? Just have to make a quick pit-stop tomorrow.”</p><p> </p><p>“Your mentor?” Varian asked idly, letting Hugo’s warmth sink into his cold skin. “I thought you said she was in Corona.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, but not in the main city. We’re going to go right past her.” Hugo shrugged. “No point skipping by and then coming all the way back, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s heartbeat was fast in his chest, but Varian assumed it was due to the scare of earlier that night. Varian turned, bringing his legs up so they crossed over Hugo’s, bent at the knee. He wasn’t quite on Hugo’s lap, still technically sitting to his side, but it gave Varian a much better position to fully snuggle into Hugo’s chest. Varian curled up as small as he could. Both of them were quiet in the firelight, the seriousness of it all starting to sink in.</p><p> </p><p>Varian shuddered, sniffling in the darkness. Hugo’s hand went back to rubbing at between Varian’s shoulders, a grounding weight as the tears welled up and spilled over. Varian buried his face into Hugo’s shoulder, hiding himself from the world in a desperate bid to make it stop turning.</p><p> </p><p>“I was so scared.” Varian whispered, “I didn’t know where I was, what was happening, it was like I was asleep. I just… I was so <em>scared</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay.” Hugo murmured, “You’re alright. It’s over now.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a full sob at that, wrapping both his arms around Hugo’s middle. He shook his head, still burrowed into Hugo’s shoulder as the tears became overwhelming. Varian’s breath hitched; this had gone <em>so much further</em> than what he’d thought the Moonstone was capable of. She was sentient, that much was clear, but <em>malicious? </em>And towards him?</p><p> </p><p>The thought was more than a little terrifying.</p><p> </p><p>“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Hugo said, staring resolutely into the fire. “I promise.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian clung all the tighter to him, moving his face up from shoulder to neck. Hugo stiffened for a quick second, but relaxed when Varian merely borrowed closer. Hugo’s arms came to wrap around Varian, tugging the smaller boy against his chest tightly. Varian rubbed at his eyes, the fear playing its way through the torn fragments of his mind, the ones the Moonstone left behind. What if he’d hurt Hugo? What if he’d done something irredeemable? Hell, what if he’d <em>died</em>, pitched himself off a cliff in the Moonstone’s desperate bid for a more susceptible host?</p><p> </p><p>Varian shuddered at the thought, but Hugo squeezed him tighter. It was comforting, being wrapped up and protected from the world by someone who cared. All of Varian’s guardians, though they meant well, had always pushed him to be so emotionally self sufficient, to bottle everything up and forgot it ever happened. <em>For the best</em>, as the Moonstone reacted to emotions, but not healthy.</p><p> </p><p>Not right.</p><p> </p><p>And here was Hugo, not only accepting Varian’s breakdown as legitimate, but holding him, comforting him. Acknowledging that Varian had the right to feel upset. It made something in Varian’s heart flutter, that Hugo could see all the little oddities in Varian and still be willing to stay by his side. That Varian had trusted Hugo with his secrets, and had received only acceptance back.</p><p> </p><p>It meant more to Varian than Hugo could probably ever know.</p><p> </p><p>“There we go, Glowstick.” Hugo mumbled, pulling Varian back and looking him in the eye. Hugo brought a hand up, gently wiping at the tears running down Varian’s face. “You’re alright.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian noticed now how close they were, their noses nearly touching. All it would take would be to lean forwards, just a few inches more-</p><p> </p><p>Varian choked on his breath, feeling his face burn. Hugo looked just as startled, pulling back as well. His arms settled into a loose loop around Varian’s waist, hands settling innocently on the smaller boy’s hip. Varian let out one last pathetic sniffle, leaning his head so that it was pillowed on Hugo’s chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of it. Varian let his eyes slide closed, the exhaustion taking hold deep in his bones.</p><p> </p><p>Surely Hugo wouldn’t mind if he just…   </p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a small sigh, listening to Hugo’s heartbeat and allowing it to drag him under and into the veil of sleep.</p><p> </p><p>“It’ll be alright, Goggles.” Hugo said, just before Varian was pulled into the depths of his own exhaustion. “Tomorrow is a new day.”</p><p> </p><p>In the sky above them, the full moon was covered by clouds.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ayyyy happy Monday!! Nearly was late this week, word ate about four pages of this chapter about three days ago somehow, but we pulled through in the clutch!! On the upside here's a nice long chapter for you kids! </p><p>Catch you next week dudes!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. To Trust and to be so Deceived</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nothing good lasts forever.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hugo’s eyes cracked open, slamming shut again at the unrelenting sight of sunlight. He sat up from his bunk with confusion, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He could hear movement outside the caravan; it made him slowly leave his bunk, stretching leisurely. Sunlight streamed in through the holes in the caravan walls, their hasty patches having somehow fallen off again after Hugo had sloppily put them up the night before. Hugo nearly flopped back into his bed, idly rubbing a hand over his face as he blearily looked up to the other bunk.</p><p> </p><p>Varian wasn’t in the bunk above, which was odd. The shorter boy was definitely a night owl at heart; Hugo <em>always</em> woke up first. The blond shoved his boots on, the pair of them haphazardly laid across the caravan floors exactly where they’d landed when Hugo had finally dragged himself and Varian back inside after their late night-</p><p> </p><p>Oh. <em>Oh shit</em>, where was Varian?</p><p> </p><p>Hugo rushed for the door, nearly falling the small gap to the ground as he burst outside in a flurry. “Var-” He started to yell, only to see a familiar head of black hair bent over the campfire. Hugo stared for a second at Varian’s bent form, the relief striking through him like hot iron.</p><p> </p><p>“Morning!” Varian said brightly, looking up from where he’d been scrambling eggs in a skillet over the fire. “I thought I’d make breakfast today, since… well since I kind of owe you after last night.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo heaved out a sigh, breathing a little easier. “Well, I won’t complain.” Hugo said, “Nothing better than getting breakfast from a pretty boy after a <em>long night</em>, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian went beet red, chucking a piece of eggshell at Hugo. The blond grinned, shuffling to the side to avoid it with a sort of ease.</p><p> </p><p>“You shut up,” Varian glared, “None of that, thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo merely laughed, flopping down next to Varian and watching as the shorter boy stirred the eggs around the pan. Ruddiger weaved between Hugo’s feet, letting out a greeting purr. Hugo idly reached down to pet the raccoon, watching Varian as he puttered in front of the fire. Varian was stunning in the light of the morning, the sun catching on his hair as he moved; Hugo was transfixed on how it played in his eyes-</p><p> </p><p>Ah, <em>jeeze</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Varian was shoving a plate into Hugo’s arms, loaded with eggs. Hugo looked down at them, a feeling of sickness overcoming him. They’d reach the place Donella had told Hugo to bring Varian to today, sometime this afternoon even. It was only another two hours travel, and the thought of actually going through with it made him sick.</p><p> </p><p>A fist had grabbed hold of Hugo’s stomach, violently twisting at the thought of Varian’s reaction to Hugo’s betrayal- because that’s what he’d done, wasn’t it? Tossed Varian’s trust right into the fire, chucked it away like it didn’t mean anything. Hugo scowled, gripping his plate just a little too tightly. He hadn’t known better then, hadn’t known who Varian was, Hugo had only seen him as means to an end, a way to gain Donella’s favour-</p><p> </p><p><em>He hadn’t known any better</em>.  </p><p> </p><p>Hugo shuffled the eggs around on the plate, staring at them with unseeing eyes. By the Maker he really was a terrible person, wasn’t he? Varian, innocent, funny, <em>wonderful</em>, Varian, had <em>trusted him</em>. He’d told Hugo his deepest secrets, and Hugo had turned around and sold him out the minute Varian was done talking.</p><p> </p><p>To make it worse, if Hugo’s intuition was right Varian was reciprocating Hugo’s interest in something more than friendship. It was worse because Hugo <em>wanted that</em>, wanted to move forwards into this budding thing he and Varian had been dancing around, wanted to step into the unknown with this teen he’d found himself irrevocably drawn to. Varian was… he was <em>good</em>. Not without his flaws, sure, the guy was stubborn as hell, and generally a snarky shit, but <em>good</em>. Hugo could feel it, when Varian smiled at him, a pulsing warmth in his chest. When they snarked back and forth, as easy as breathing.  </p><p> </p><p>Hugo liked to think he was smart enough to see attraction when it was present, and Varian was nothing if not <em>projecting</em>. It made Hugo <em>giddy</em>, this thought that Varian might like him. It was like a schoolyard crush; it made Hugo’s stomach do all kinds of flips to think that there might be something <em>more</em> there.    </p><p> </p><p>And it was all about to go up in smoke.  </p><p> </p><p>“You’re supposed to eat those, you know that?” Varian’s voice snapped Hugo from his thoughts, Hugo’s eyes meeting Varian’s. Those blue eyes were full of mirth, and dare Hugo say <em>affection</em>; it filled Hugo with a sense of guilt he’d never felt before, like a great gnawing in his guts, slowly consuming him.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I do, Glowstick.” Hugo laughed, shoving the eggs into his mouth with enthusiasm. “Just making sure your cooking wasn’t about to grow legs and walk away, is all.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian made an offended noise, shoving at Hugo playfully. Hugo found himself laughing despite his mood, eating another fork-full with a dramatized mirth.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ve really outdone yourself, Goggles!” Hugo said, “I’m only ninety percent sure I’m going to get food poisoning- you’ve improved!”</p><p> </p><p>Varian gasped in offense, splaying a hand over heart. “I wake up early, out of the goodness of my heart, to make you breakfast- and all you can do is <em>criticize</em>,” Varian whined, trying to hold his plate up above where Ruddiger was pawing for it. Varian let out a little noise of offense when a piece of egg fell and splattered onto his pants. He set down his plate before he could think, trying to save the fabric from staining and ignoring how Ruddiger delved into his ill-gotten breakfast. Varian sighed, standing and moving for the caravan.</p><p> </p><p>“Hold up, I’ll be back.” Varian muttered, still trying to clean the egg from his pants. The caravan door slammed behind him, and Hugo jumped at the noise. He could feel a clenching in his stomach, almost like someone had reached in through his ribs and grabbed it, twisting it around until Hugo could barely breathe.</p><p> </p><p>The eggs on his tongue tasted like ash, bitter and gritty.</p><p> </p><p>They’d reach Donella today. The thought once would have brought Hugo relief, the thought of his own bed, warm food, and like company. Now though? There was nothing but dread. Hugo shoved a hand into his pocket, watching the fire burn. His fingers found a vial, idly playing with it in his pocket as he thought. Today was the day this whole thing blew up in his face; Donella was waiting for them to arrive, and Hugo knew Varian wouldn’t be very receptive to the idea of going with her.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo found a mournful feeling ringing through him, like a funeral bell. He <em>liked</em> Varian, as much as it still kind of stung to admit it. Hugo liked his humour, his intelligence, his stubbornness. It wasn’t <em>fair</em>; the regret was eating him alive. <em>Why did he have to give those pages to Donella, those few weeks ago?</em> He should have held off, shouldn’t have done it, should have waited until later-</p><p> </p><p>But he hadn’t.  </p><p> </p><p>The thin vial in his pocket felt a little heavier, Hugo knew exactly what was in there. Donella always had a plan, after all. Hugo would be a fool to go against her, even for the boy he <em>sort-of-kind-of-might-like-as-more-than-a-friend</em>. It was best to just let this run its course, and hand Varian over.  </p><p> </p><p>The grip in his gut tightened its hold, and Hugo was sure it wasn’t going to let up any time soon. Varian <em>trusted him</em>, and this was how Hugo repaid him? A sudden fear went through Hugo’s mind, a deep-seated terror of what was in store. Varian didn’t deserve whatever Donella wanted to do to him, didn’t deserve to be used as a lab rat, a weapon, an <em>item</em> to be stolen and locked away and coveted.</p><p> </p><p>But <em>Donella</em>. Donella would be furious, and Hugo knew <em>exactly</em> how she responded to betrayal. He’d scrubbed enough blood from walls, led enough traitors to be <em>dealt with</em>, buried enough bodies, to know what he’d be risking if he tried to help Varian escape the fate Hugo had created for him. It wasn’t a fair trade at all, for Hugo to give up everything he’d ever known, all he and Donella had, for the sake of a pretty boy.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked down into his burnt, runny, generally really <em>awful</em> eggs.</p><p> </p><p>The vial of ketamine he was supposed to slip in this morning’s breakfast burned a hole in his pocket.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Varian could see that Hugo was acting <em>weird</em>. Like weirder than normal. The blond had been jumpy for the last two hours, flinching at every little movement; he’d even pet Ruddiger, so out of focus that he’d begun to idly stroke through the raccoon’s fur. It made Varian’s stomach flutter with concern, seeing Hugo so out of sorts drew a sort of worry he’d never felt before. Had Varian done something to prompt a sudden separation? Was it the Moonstone again? Varian thought they were past that at this point, though the whole <em>possession</em> thing was decidedly new. Varian was concerned about that, to say the least, the idea of the Moonstone being able to wrench control from him in his sleep. Maybe he’d have to start tying a wrist to the bedpost in the caravan, to keep him from quote-unquote <em>sleepwalking</em> again. Hugo might not be there next time, to pull Varian away from the very literal edge of death.</p><p> </p><p>He’d have to be smarter from now on.</p><p> </p><p>Varian and Hugo were back on the road once more, Dolos slowly meandering through the Coronian forest. The two of them were in their usual places atop the caravan’s bench, and Varian was taking the time to inspect Adira’s sword.</p><p> </p><p>It really was beautiful, the blade singing to him in that same strange way the rocks did. Varian felt a connection to them, a pull at the base of his skull that drew him forwards. It was simple, but masterfully so. A basic looking onyx blade, with a simple leather and iron handle to hold the sharpened rock in place. Perfectly balanced, too, from the feel of it. Varian held the scabbard tightly, pulling at the handle to bring the blade out by an inch.</p><p> </p><p>Adira’s sword was a thing of beauty; it felt wrong for Varian to have it.</p><p> </p><p>He stared down at it for a long second, sheathing it with a <em>click</em>. His family were probably terrified for him, for his safety. Had Varian made the right choice, to leave home? Was it worth it to taste the freedom he’d wanted so badly if it caused his family pain, sending them chasing after him like a lost pet? Adira had proved that they still cared for him, even after he’d turned his back and betrayed them on a selfish whim.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s breath stuttered as he thought the word. <em>Selfish</em>, that was exactly what he was. Just a selfish little boy who was willing to risk it all for the sake of a little freedom. He didn’t need to leave home, didn’t need to go on this quest to find the Sundrop, didn’t need to put everything his family had built at stake.</p><p> </p><p>Varian gripped the scabbard tighter, so tight the thread keeping the leather together began to dig into his glove. It was already worth it; Varian had seen so much, learned so many new things. It had been worth it to escape from the dull monotony of the farm, to run far and wide and experience things for himself. Varian chanced a glace towards Hugo, seeing the zoned-out look on the blond’s face, the strong bridge of his nose, the cut of his jaw-</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s worried face lifted into a shy smile.</p><p> </p><p>Yeah, it had been worth it.</p><p> </p><p>When they got to Corona, he would either learn how to control the Moonstone or get rid of it. The princess had apparently lost her powers when her hair was cut; perhaps Varian’s would work the same way? Some sort of catalyst, something that could be carved away to leave a normal person behind. Something told Varian it wouldn’t be that simple.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing ever was.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Glowstick.” Hugo said, the first time he’d tried to start a conversation all day. “I-I think we need to talk.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian perked up at that, looking away from the sword. “Okay,” Varian nodded, “Shoot.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think we need to turn around and take you home.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s heart sank. “I- what are you talking about?” He asked. He knew he’d gone pale because Hugo had as well. “Hugo, we’re so close, why would we stop now?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked agitated, shifting on the bench. “I just- you need to listen to me. I’m not kidding, we have to turn around. If we keep going it’s going to end badly-”</p><p> </p><p>“How do you know?” Varian asked, legitimately confused. “Did you see something? After Lukas I thought you knew we can handle anything that gets thrown at us, as long as we work together, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s face crumpled. “I- <em>Varian</em>.” Hugo’s tone was begging, “Please, <em>please</em> trust me on this. I promise, someday I’ll tell you why, but we need to <em>go</em>.”</p><p> </p><p><strong>L̷̡̹̜̰̹͎y̵͓̙̱͠i̷̬͕̟͛̅̐͜n̴̟̩͔̍͑g̷̦̝͓̱̎̄̂̓ ̶̧̧̲̥̯̠̈́̌̑̎͠T̸̛̠̲̪̏̔ͅo̴̘̎͗̆̈́̊ ̴̲͎̝͉̔̃̈́̍̕U̵͍̦̇̊̊̅͒̍s̷̢͍̲̯͊͐̽</strong> came a feather’s touch on Varian’s thoughts. <strong>S̶̟̼̘̠̺̑̌̂̓ḩ̶̢̢̜̺̙̗̀̔͂́̑̈́̈́ͅo̴̧̨̞͚̮͊u̵̞̹̯͉̫̹̗̾l̶̢̡̗̫̙͂͝d̷̰̭̂̾͜n̸̩͕̙̆͒̕'̴̡̟̹̳̬̭̺̗̳̀̂̍̅̏͂͂t̴̲͍̯͍̥̯̙͆͑̄̔ ̴̨̭̌̅́̕͠T̶̙̲̮͙͇͓̎r̴̛͖͉̓͂̋͜ů̶̡͙̱̻͈̬̗͉͒̃̚͠s̸̻̲͍͈͙̪̠͎̎̊̉́́̇̈́t̵̥̬̃͗͐̈́ͅ ̶̨̡̜̻̲̓͋̈́̌͠H̸̪̅̎̇̈̍͝͝i̶̼̤͓̪̭̱̣͚͖̇̌̏m̷̡̘̠̓͑̑̔͊̎̐̚</strong></p><p> </p><p>Varian had to grit his teeth against a scowl- <em>Shouldn’t trust you, you mean, </em>he thought viciously. The Moonstone had proven its loyalties last night, and they didn’t lie with Varian’s well being. The voice could croon all it wanted, but Varian was done listening to it.</p><p> </p><p>“I trust you.” Varian said to Hugo, point blank. Surprisingly Hugo looked <em>devastated</em> at that, but Varian pushed on. “Of course I trust you, but you need to tell me what’s going on. You didn’t with Lukas, and look where that got us. <em>I </em>didn’t trust <em>you</em> with Hector and Adira, and that got us into trouble then, too. It’s a two-way street. So, why should we turn around?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked stressed. His green eyes flicked back and forth frantically, as if scanning the trees. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth to start talking, but was cut off by a sudden loud <em>popping</em> from the distance. Both of their heads snapped towards the sound, and Varian stood up on his seat to see a plume of green smoke explode over the tops of the trees to their left.</p><p> </p><p>“What the…” Varian trailed his own question off, as three more flares joined the first, bursting into large green clouds. He turned to Hugo, but startled at the look on the other boy’s face. Hugo looked terrified, pale and drawn and <em>scared</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo?” Varian said warily, “Are you okay?” Hugo’s eyes snapped from the flares to Varian, eyes wide in fear.</p><p> </p><p>“We need to go.” Hugo breathed, “<em>Now</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>And then Hugo was grabbing at Varian’s arm, even as another round of flares went off, this time closer to where they were; whatever it was, it was getting <em>closer</em>. Hugo bodily dragged Varian off the caravan, despite the smaller boy’s protests, and began to drag Varian towards the woods. Hugo’s grip on Varian’s hand was tight, too tight.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, wait- <em>Hugo</em>!” Varian cried, ripping his hand out of Hugo’s grasp. “What about Dolos? Our stuff? Ruddi-” The raccoon in question suddenly appeared, looking spooked as he clambered up Varian to curl around his shoulders. “Okay, not Ruddiger, but all the other stuff still applies! We can’t just abandon the caravan-”</p><p> </p><p>“We have to!” Hugo cut him off, making Varian back away slightly. Varian had never heard Hugo <em>shout </em>before, and it wasn’t exactly pleasant. Hugo looked frazzled, eyes wide and hair a mess from where he’d been tangling his fingers in it. The blond was breathing heavily, looking at Varian with a manic expression. “We <em>have to</em>.” Hugo repeated, more to himself.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo reached for Varian again, but the smaller boy backed away by a few steps. Hugo looked heartbroken when Varian took a step back, his hand still outstretched. Varian suddenly felt very small, looking at the state of his companion and not knowing the reason for it.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo, you’re scaring me.” Varian whispered, curling into himself.</p><p> </p><p>The blond tensed at that, but let his hand drop from a reach into an offer, his palm up to the sky and held out for Varian to take. “I- sorry.” Hugo said, “We just need to move before they find us.”</p><p> </p><p>“They?” Varian asked, his grip on Adira’s sword tightening. “Hugo, what aren’t you telling me? Who’s going to find us?”</p><p> </p><p>“That would be us, I would think.” Came a third voice from behind Varian, a female one, older. Probably around the same age as Quirin if Varian had to guess. Varian saw Hugo’s face drop into something sad and resigned, his green eyes slamming shut. Varian turned around to see a woman standing behind them, blocking the way back to Dolos. She certainly was imposing, her broad shoulders decked out in black armor and green leather, looking ready for a <em>fight</em>.</p><p> </p><p>She was tall and thin, with long white hair tied up in a lengthy braid. Her face was thin, pale with a pointed nose and narrow, calculating green eyes. A rough scar cut through her cheek. She reminded Varian of Adira, oddly enough. They had the same aura of someone who had seen battle and walked away from it. When Varian met her gaze her eyes narrowed in thought, as if appraising him.</p><p> </p><p>Ruddiger hissed at her from his place on the teen’s shoulder. The raccoon was tense, little claws digging into his human’s shoulder. Varian found his hand slowly reaching for the handle of the sword in his hands as the woman continued to talk.</p><p> </p><p>“You must be Varian.” She said, a shark’s smile splitting her face. “Hugo’s told me <em>so much</em> about you.” </p><p> </p><p>Varian tried to steady his breathing, remembering what happened last time someone had known Hugo’s name. This woman seemed to be in a whole other league than Lukas, however. She moved forwards, her boots crushing anything under them. Varian found himself stepping back, eventually bumping into Hugo and being forced to stop. The blond had been oddly quiet, but if this woman scared him that much, then Varian was fine stepping up to keep them safe.</p><p> </p><p>Varian unsheathed Adria’s sword roughly, tossing the scabbard away as he held the blade in a guarded position. It was heavier than the training sword he was used to, but that was something he could deal with. A group of people emerged from every direction, blocking all the possible escape routes. Varian could start to feel a swell of panic at this, as things became more and more dire with every second.</p><p> </p><p>“Not another step,” Varian warned them all, fixing the woman with a glare. “Until you tell me who you are and what you want.”</p><p> </p><p>The woman paused at the sight of the sword, pursing her lips. “Oh I see,” She said with a grin, “Give a child the Moonstone and suddenly he thinks he can start barking orders.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian reeled from the mention of the Moonstone. He felt Hugo tense behind him, but couldn’t offer any support as his own mind was too busy trying to catch up. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him, he could feel his thoughts reeling.</p><p> </p><p>“I- how did you-” Varian stuttered, nearly dropping the sword in shock. “How could you possibly-”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, by the Maker, Hugo just get over here.” The woman snapped, losing patience. “We don’t have all day for this.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian felt himself tense, but went lax with shock when he felt Hugo move to obey the woman’s command. “H-Hugo?” He stuttered out as the blond moved from behind Varian’s defensive pose, and went to stand next to the woman. His face was closed off, but Varian could see the little ways he was angry. Hit grit teeth, the lack of eye contact-</p><p> </p><p>Oh.</p><p> </p><p>Oh <em>no</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo.” Varian breathed, “No… you didn’t actually-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo refused to meet his eye. Varian felt his heart begin to fracture, the feeling of absolute <em>betrayal</em> ringing harsh in his ears. Something in him shattered, seeing Hugo walk away from him. It was a pin through the heart, punching through his sternum and out his back. Varian’s heart rate began to pick up, a rabbit’s pace against his ribs. The pain sank deep, grabbing his lungs and making it hard to breathe. Hugo’s face was perfect misery, but Varian couldn’t help but feel the betrayal sink into his core. Hugo had lied to him, had <em>been lying</em> to him, just like his family had warned him- <em>by the Moon Varian had fallen for it</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Hook, line, and sinker; Varian had never felt so stupid in all his life. He’d trusted Hugo, and here was the repercussions of that trust, it seemed. Something in him began to crack, the jaded glass of his heart giving into the stress. Hugo had thrown him right under the bus, had led Varian straight into a trap. The pain was sharp as a knife, stabbing deep and clean, but there was a new heat that came from the wounds.</p><p> </p><p>Because somewhere inside, pain turned to <em>rage</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you <em>serious</em>?!” Varian could feel himself begin to splinter, the rage building in the face of shoving the pain away. Pain was useless in a situation like this, but rage? Rage could be <em>harnessed</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“How long?” Varian shouted at Hugo, holding the grip of Adira’s sword tighter. His voice cracked from the stress of choking back the anger. “How long have you been <em>lying to me</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo looked like the guilt was eating him alive, sinking deeper and deeper into a slouch as Varian finally understood that he’d been played. Hugo seemed to be content to stay tight lipped, but that was fine- Varian was willing to fill the silence.</p><p> </p><p>“Was it last night?” Varian hissed. “Or was it after the mountains?”  </p><p> </p><p>Hugo somehow managed to get even more pale. Bingo.</p><p> </p><p>“Why am I not surprised.” Varian’s breath hitched into a hysterical laugh. He was rapidly losing composure as the reality set in. “Of course, why wouldn’t you sell me out the <em>minute you knew</em>? Silly me, for thinking you were better than that!”</p><p> </p><p><strong>L̶̛̻̙̥̹͌͒͊͊̊̉̂̃̂̌̑̌́͝ͅĩ̶̩̩̓͐̓́͘͝͝͝è̷͕͍̯̻͒͑̽̊̈̕͝ḑ̷̛̲̫͎̰̥͚̰̰͉̝̩̂̾̎̌̾̏̈́̍͆̉̽̊̓ ̸̢̨̙̝̦̹̲̲̞̺̮̣͖͚̾̔̓̀̒̉̐͗͌ͅT̴̨̧͓̲̀͌̈́o̵̧̝̤̪̳͔̥̱̪̳̭͎̍̄̉̋͌̕ ̷̡̤̱͉̦̭̘̩̎̌̄̈́̃͌͒̕Ų̷̰͇̣̱̫̝̜̘̹̪̌̔̓͠s̵̡̨̧̨̥̘͈̭̠̪͓̙̺̗̗̜̒̿̆͊͒ </strong>spat the Moonstone, <strong>B̸̛͙̊̎̿̚͝E̶͓̞̖̥̱̤̝̣͌̃͒̍̄̊̽̂̅̒̓̓̓̿̎T̷̨̨͔̗͓̜̺͓̬͖͔̘͔̟͕͗̽̇̀̕͘R̷̡͕͓̦̫̭̩̫̰̼͇̻̩̘̅̆͐̍̾͊͗ͅẢ̵̺̺̹Ÿ̷̢̢̬͕̟̪̫͙͈́̈̀̂̐̈̎͊̾́̓͆̍̿̚͠Ȇ̴̛͈̂̆̈̿̏̾̿̍̽͊̍̀͑͝D̸̨̡̞͔̲̩̫̦̙̺̥̭̳̩̣̈́͠ ̸̡̛̱̘̈͋̋̊͐͌̆͒̋́̐͝ͅU̷̳̝̣̥̯̭̠̭̭̽̄̂̆̈́͆̉̈́̍͂͠s̶̛̘̙̟̥̭̾̈́́͒̋͐̋͝</strong></p><p> </p><p>And it was right, wasn’t it? Hugo had sold him out <em>weeks ago</em>, and had still dragged him all over the map, had acted like his friend, had pretended that there might have been something more between them-</p><p> </p><p>Varian shook himself, feeling the control beginning to slip. The Moonstone was crackling with energy within, and he could feel himself beginning to feel the sway and pull of it. The woman, who must have been Donella the way Hugo listened to her, looked at Varian with a sense of awe as he tapped into the Moonstone’s power.</p><p> </p><p>Ruddiger dropped from his human’s shoulder, sprinting off and disappearing into the woods at the show of force. If anything that made Hugo more nervous, if the <em>raccoon</em> knew it was time to get out.  </p><p> </p><p>Varian brought the hand not holding the sword up, his stretched hand out towards the pair in front of him. His hair glowed a bright blue, lifting up and out of gravity’s embrace. Varian clenched his hand into a fist, digging deep into the well of power and allowing it to run <em>wild</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Jagged spires of stone burst from the ground, sending many of Donella’s little group dispersing with cries of shock as the earth beneath them shattered. Donella and Hugo were forced to scatter as well, Hugo shoving Donella out of the way as one particularly large rock burst out to attack them, the blue glow of it nearly blinding.</p><p> </p><p>A man tried to rush Varian from behind, but Varian sensed him coming. With a clawed hand Varian gestured in an upwards motion, a spring of the rocks exploded in a barrage of spikes. The man let out a howl as he was stopped, his arms nearly shredded by the sharp stone. Varian felt, rather than saw, an arrow go flying past, just missing his ear and embedding itself in a nearby tree. He whipped around with an angry growl, sweeping an arm and sending a blunted spike of the rocks into the side of a woman with a crossbow, sending her slamming into a tree.</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t get back up.</p><p> </p><p>“How could you?” Varian finally asked, now that Hugo was separated from his mentor. “<em>How could you?!</em> I <strong>Ţ̴̥͓̜͉͖̓̆r̶̮̒̈́̈́̅̃̉̑͠͝ů̴̡̲͎̯͕̥̜̰̘͎̠̔͋̿̕ś̷͖͇̟̫̺͖̿̃̐̈̇̋̕͝ͅt̵̳̿͌͐͗̈̆̂͝͠͝e̴̛̛͈͉͈̫͎͇̯̟̩̝͒͊͐͝d̴̤̍̊̈͌̈́̿̚͝ͅ</strong> you, and you threw it right back in my <em>face!</em>”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo ran as the rocks chased him, each one stabbing from the earth in an attempt to snare him. Varian continued his barrage, clenching his hand and cutting Hugo off with a large wall of the rocks. Hugo backed away, effectively trapped.</p><p> </p><p>“Goggles, <em>please</em> just listen to me!” Hugo finally seemed to find his voice, pleading with Varian. “I just-”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>No</em>!” Varian shrieked, successfully tripping Hugo up with needle think spikes under the blond’s feet, Hugo falling to the ground with a shout. “<em>No,</em> you <strong>L̴̤̳̯̜̙̮̥̪͍̻͂i̸͙͕͙̲̬̫̩͐͛̊̅̊̈̓͠͠͝s̷̨̢̞̼͍̘̺̅̆̍̎̐͘͜ṯ̴̦̜͔̣̔ẻ̷̲̱̔̑̆͘̚n̸͚̳̳̣̟͍̞͕͖̟̬͗</strong> to me!”</p><p> </p><p>The earth shook as another wave of the rocks sprung from deep within the ground, punching up to spike outwards. Varian stood in the very center of the chaos, face warped in rage</p><p> </p><p>Even Donella seemed to be concerned by that, everyone backing away from Varian with slow movements. Hugo, however, stayed where he was. Varian’s rage seemed to be petering out, the last dregs of it giving way to sorrow as Varian felt his cheeks grow damp. The tears slid down his face, hitting his jaw, but when they began to fall, they lifted<em> upwards</em>, just like Varian’s hair. They glowed a silvery blue, trapped in suspension as they floated higher and higher.</p><p> </p><p>“How could you?” Varian sobbed, repeating himself as he frantically rubbed at his eyes. “I thought-”</p><p> </p><p>“Thought what?” Donella finally spoke, approaching Hugo’s side. She bent a little, forcing Hugo up with a hand on his arm. “Thought he was your friend?” Her face fell into a stone-cold glare. “That’s cute. Now, Moonstone, you have two choices. You can either come quietly, or we’ll have to resort to <em>drastic measures</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo paled, “You said you wouldn’t hurt him,” The blond said quietly, eyes wide as he turned to look at her with shock. Her glare was icy when she looked at him, Hugo felt nearly infinitesimal in her shadow.</p><p> </p><p>“I said a lot of things, Hugo.” Donella replied flippantly, “Not all of them true. Get with the program; you’ve been here long enough to know better.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was sufficiently cowed at that, stepping back as Donella walked forwards.</p><p> </p><p>“What’ll it be, Moonstone?” She asked Varian, her fist clenched around a perfect orb of glass. It glowed a soft grey, but Varian could see the malice in grin. Donella’s eyes narrowed, waiting for Varian to make a move. The boy glared back, his grip on Adria’s sword so tight the leather of his gloves creaked.</p><p> </p><p>“If you want the Moonstone, you’ll have to kill me for it.” Varian challenged, standing firm. Adira’s sword was a comforting weight in his hand, the glint of the sunlight off the surface of it nearly blinding. He brought it up into a guarded stance, feet digging into the dirt as he grounded his weight.</p><p> </p><p>Donella clucked her tongue, rolling her eyes. “So dramatic.” She responded, “I thought you’d be more reasonable.”</p><p> </p><p>And with that, she chucked the bomb at Varian. Hugo let out a warning shout, but Varian slammed a boot into the earth, a large wall of rocks shooting up between him and the bomb. It exploded into a cloud of white gas, shattering on impact with the stone. Varian let out a strangled noise as the gas swirled around the stone and devoured him, the boy throwing his free hand up to cover his face as he began to cough violently.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s vision began to swim with tears, hacking up a lung as the smoke began to <em>burn</em> inside. It was like the air was being ripped from him, the air forced from his lungs as the burning stretched from the base of his chest and into his throat. His thoughts fragmented like broken glass, splitting apart as the gas began to take effect. He struggled to pull air into his chest, gasping for oxygen as panic began to flood his rational thoughts</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s limbs shuddered as he sank to one knee, using Adira’s sword to keep himself upright. He noticed Donella approaching, her boots setting closer. Varian let out a drunken yell, swinging the sword at her clumsily. She stepped back, her form blurring into the image of the forest behind her. She was saying something, but the Moonstone was louder.</p><p> </p><p> <strong>R̴͎̗̞̗̺̙͚̹̮̤̠͇̓͊͂̈́̈́́̋̽͊̎͘͜U̷̧͕̠̤͚̬͕̥̘͗̾̋̀͜Ň̶̡̢̢̛̗̩͕̦͓̗͖͈͖̬̼̤͇͕͕̱̬͎̅̐̚ ̵̢̢͙͓̣̩̦͚̪͓́̾̿̂̒̐͘͘͝Ȁ̷̲̩́̐̈́̒̊̍̿̍̌̏͛̈́̂̈͆͂̚͘̚͜Ŵ̸̥̩̟̰̰̤̻̰̮̽͂͌͊̊̾̂̈́̂́̐̈̇̽̈́͋̓͘͘͜Ι̡̱Ä̴̧̢̢̛͇̗̟̘̦͚͔̖̮̠̬͔̤͔͚̖̝͈̖̤͒́̉́̃́̾͒͑̂̿͜͠Ŷ̴̫̹̭̩͖̿̂͊̋ </strong>it commanded. Varian let out a cry as a barrage of black rocks burst from the ground around him, a last-ditch attempt to protect himself as he fell back to the ground. He could sense people beginning to surround him, dodging the haphazard rocks and approaching Varian’s prone form.</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a fearful cry when a pair of hands entered his view, scrambling backwards and sending another flurry of rocks forward. He heard someone cry out in pain, and tried to escape, stumbling to the ground. He only stopped when his vision was filled by familiar green eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian, just stop.” Hugo begged, “Please, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s arms were covered in scrapes, jagged cuts that had ripped through his sleeves like they were nothing at all. Varian’s tears flowed faster at the sight of his blood, the crimson red staining the green fabric. He’d hurt people- <em>he’d hurt Hugo</em>- with his powers. Hugo seemed unaffected by the injuries, reaching forwards towards Varian with a beseeching hand.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay,” Hugo said softly, not seeming to believe his own words.</p><p> </p><p>Varian snarled as he felt a large arm from snaking around his waist, a hand coming up to hold Varian’s head up. He was bodily lifted up and into a standing position, kicking futility as he was effectively manhandled into standing, then bodily lifted off the ground. Varian’s world spun, his lungs burning with the gas still. His limbs felt like lead, the heavy claws of gravity tugging on him and demanding he fall into their embrace.</p><p> </p><p>Donella walked forwards, a syringe in hand. She roughly pulled Varian’s sleeve up, injecting a dull pink liquid into his arm with little preamble. Varian could feel the cold of it creep into his veins, the arm immediately going numb. The numbness travelled upwards, into his chest and down into his other limbs. Varian’s brain began to <em>swim</em>, dancing between the lines of awake and asleep.</p><p> </p><p>Donella laughed, grabbing Varian’s chin roughly. She tilted his head back and forth, smirking as Varian’s hair went dark. It flopped down limply, messy as it fell back into gravity’s embrace. His head lolled when she let go of his chin, and he barely flinched when she gave his cheek a light slap.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s tears dripped down from his cheeks, splattering onto the ground below.</p><p> </p><p>“Doesn’t look like much,” Donella mused, “But I suppose good things come in small packages. Hugo-” The blond snapped to attention, “Get him into the caravan. We’re going back to the house.” Hugo looked guilty as he approached, Donella already walking away. Varian struggled drunkenly as black spots began to dance across his vision.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, Goggles.” Hugo muttered, “Has to be this way.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian didn’t respond, merely kicking Hugo in the shin. The blond grunted, but didn’t stop as the person holding Varian deposited the smaller boy into Hugo’s arms. He held Varian gently in a bridal carry, Varian weakly shoving at Hugo’s chest even as his head began to loll. The drug raced through his veins, leaving nothing but numbness behind it.</p><p> </p><p>“Dun… dun touch me.” Varian slurred, smacking at Hugo with weak little hits. “Pum-me… <em>down</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, Varian.” Hugo said, refusing to look at him. “Just go to sleep, it’ll be okay.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian hit Hugo one last time, his palm resting against the blond’s shirt. “You <em>promised</em>.” Varian sobbed, looking up desperately at Hugo one more time before his head finally dropped onto Hugo’s shoulder. Hugo felt the guilt grip him as Varian’s breaths evened out, the younger teen fully giving into the drugs in his system. Varian’s face was tear stained, scrunched up in pain even in sleep.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo adjusted Varian’s dead weight and walked back towards the caravan.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Hugo and Donella sat awkwardly on the caravan as it trundled down the road towards their base. Donella had taken Varian’s usual spot on the passenger side, and the difference was jarring to Hugo. He’d gotten so used to a little ball of sunshine sitting to his right that he found himself turning more than once to crack a joke, only to stop when he saw the angry face of his mentor.</p><p> </p><p>Donella was upset, but seemed to be pondering where to begin. Cyrus and the other lackeys had gathered up their horses as Hugo had gently placed Varian on his bunk in the caravan. Donella pursed her lips, turning to Hugo. He tensed; he knew that expression well.</p><p> </p><p>“So.” She began, “What part of <em>don’t get attached</em> did you miss?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo slouched, clinging to Dolos’ reins a little too hard. “I… I didn’t get attached.” He argued, refusing to tear his eyes from the road. “I led him here, just like you told me. He was just an easy mark to convince, is all.”</p><p> </p><p>Her glare burned on the side of his head. “Didn’t seem like an <em>easy mark</em> to me.” Donella said. “He was supposed to be unconscious <em>before</em> you got to the drop off point. And I find you dragging him by the hand away from us.” Hugo chanced a glance at her furious face and quickly looked away. “Seems pretty <em>damning</em> to me.” She continued.</p><p> </p><p>“I had to take a leak.” Hugo shrugged, “Didn’t trust him not to run off.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t lie to me.” Donella said firmly. “I know you, Hugo, you’re still <em>soft</em>. But it doesn’t matter; in the next few weeks we’ll find out how to remove the Moonstone from him, and then we’ll be rich.”</p><p> </p><p>“I thought you were going to get him to join us.” Hugo argued, feeling a stone settle in his gut.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, that <em>was</em> the plan,” Donella nodded, “But then, who would want the wielder of the Moonstone, when they could have the Moonstone <em>itself</em>? We get it out of him, and then we sell it. Saves our clients having to break the boy under their thumb, after all. Skips a few steps.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo stared back at the road. Varian was inside the caravan, sleeping soundly and Hugo was just ferrying him to be a <em>science experiment</em>-</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to tell me what happened to your face?” Donella asked him, looking to the bruises dotting Hugo’s skin. Hugo shrugged, leaning away as she brought up her hand to try and touch.</p><p> </p><p>“Just one of Davon’s crew.” Hugo muttered, “Tried to start some shit, no big deal.”</p><p> </p><p>Her face soured at the deflection, but she leaned back into the bench with a huff; her hand dropped away, and Hugo found it within himself to breathe again. There was an awkward beat of silence between the two of them, Hugo refusing to back down as she glared at the side of his head. Donella finally grunted, her face falling into an impassive frown.</p><p> </p><p>“Either way.” Donella said. “The Moonstone’s ours now. No one followed you?”</p><p> </p><p>“No.” Hugo said softly, choking on the guilt. “No one knows where he is.”</p><p> </p><p>The fist twisting his stomach was violent, the ill feeling making Hugo shiver.</p><p> </p><p>“Good.” The woman nodded with a satisfied smile. “To be honest I have no idea how long it’ll take to get the Moonstone out, better to give us as much time as possible.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.” Hugo agreed, feeling ready to puke. “Of course.”</p><p> </p><p>Donella picked up on his mood, putting a firm hand on his shoulder. “Just think of the profit.” She said, and Hugo felt himself shudder. Donella either didn’t notice or didn’t care as she continued to speak. “Omelets and eggs, Hugo. It’s not your fault he put his trust in the wrong people, but it will be our benefit. So smile, huh? We’re going to be <em>rich</em>. Maybe I’ll even forgive you for getting two holes punched in the back of my caravan.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo wanted to scream.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone was <em>displeased</em>. She looked furious when Varian had woken up in her little hell-dimension, the skies around her twisting in her rage. Varian himself was impassive, quietly sitting on the stone platform they stood upon.   </p><p> </p><p><strong>“I̸͓̭̦͚͒͆͋̐͠͠͠͝d̸̮̟͙͓̎̓͒̊̓̈́̒͆̌̚͝ḯ̷̳͙̙̘͈̫̳̜̾̽͑͋͋͌͆͗͜͠͝͝ợ̵͖̯̺̬́̎͒̿̈́̄̚̚t̵̛͔͕̠̳̠̗̭̭̏̑̀͗͠”</strong> She hissed, looking ready to strangle him. “We were so close to the <strong>S̸̱̲̰͌̐̆͊̿̿̑̃̐̃̅͝͠u̷̡͕͙͚͈̺͍͉͚̣̠̱̤̳̪͇̪̐̓̽̔͊̏́̎͝n̴̛̞̻͔̩̹̗̭̦̼̜̞͔͌͐̊̍̃͐̈́̿̍̽̊̓̿̉͆d̷̨̛̙̼̬̩̣̥͇̜̖̐̎̒̕r̴̡̭̘̖͈̙̭̦̊o̸͉̠͚͙͗͗͂̓̂̓͂͘p̷̨̡̖̫̬̻̥̟͕̦̯̯̤̮̋̈́̅̀̋́͑̀̇̄̚̚</strong>, and now we’ve been delayed again.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian bristled at that, but stayed where he’d curled into himself in the face of her rage. He wrapped his arms around his knees, hugging them close. The chill of the Moonstone’s little pocket universe sank into his skin, the ice embedding itself in his veins. He squeezed his legs a little tighter, pressing against them in an attempt to comfort himself.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t plan for Hugo to… for us to be betrayed.” Varian muttered, curling tighter in his feeble attempt to self-soothe. The Moonstone paced in front of him, hands behind her back as her dress fluttered in a wind Varian couldn’t feel.</p><p> </p><p>“I warned you.” She spat, pausing to fix him with a glare. “And you didn’t listen. We’ve been delayed from the <strong>S̸̱̲̰͌̐̆͊̿̿̑̃̐̃̅͝͠u̷̡͕͙͚͈̺͍͉͚̣̠̱̤̳̪͇̪̐̓̽̔͊̏́̎͝n̴̛̞̻͔̩̹̗̭̦̼̜̞͔͌͐̊̍̃͐̈́̿̍̽̊̓̿̉͆d̷̨̛̙̼̬̩̣̥͇̜̖̐̎̒̕r̴̡̭̘̖͈̙̭̦̊o̸͉̠͚͙͗͗͂̓̂̓͂͘p̷̨̡̖̫̬̻̥̟͕̦̯̯̤̮̋̈́̅̀̋́͑̀̇̄̚̚</strong> because of your incompetence. I am finished indulging you, my <strong>H̵͍̼̰͕͉͑̽̋͋̎̋̊̈̍̿͠ơ̸̭̥͍̻͍̤̱̍͆̋̽̿͐͑͆̕̚͝͝s̴̲̳͋̉t̴̳͔̬͇̫͎͔̘͓̹̞̘̔̄̈́̍͑̂̒͜”</strong></p><p> </p><p>Varian looked up at her, eyes narrowing. “<em>Indulging me</em>?” He spat, “You think any of this has been fun for me? The only reason I even wanted to find the Sundrop was to get <em>rid of you</em>!” He stumbled to his feet, adjusting as his weight rocked the platform they stood on. The swirling iridescent clouds swirled faster as Varian stalked towards the Moonstone in a rage.</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t ask for this!” Varian yelled, “I didn’t <em>want</em> any of this! Because of you my life’s over before I ever got a chance to live it-”</p><p> </p><p>“You misunderstand.” The Moonstone said, using her seven feet of height to tower over Varian. “I care not for your childish whims, nor for what you <em>want</em>. Your life was forfeit the minute your father offered you to me in exchange for your survival. Your <em>wants </em>are trivial at best. We go after the <strong>S̸̱̲̰͌̐̆͊̿̿̑̃̐̃̅͝͠u̷̡͕͙͚͈̺͍͉͚̣̠̱̤̳̪͇̪̐̓̽̔͊̏́̎͝n̴̛̞̻͔̩̹̗̭̦̼̜̞͔͌͐̊̍̃͐̈́̿̍̽̊̓̿̉͆d̷̨̛̙̼̬̩̣̥͇̜̖̐̎̒̕r̴̡̭̘̖͈̙̭̦̊o̸͉̠͚͙͗͗͂̓̂̓͂͘p̷̨̡̖̫̬̻̥̟͕̦̯̯̤̮̋̈́̅̀̋́͑̀̇̄̚̚</strong> after we kill the humans holding us.”</p><p> </p><p><em>Hugo</em>, the thought was tinged with fear, only to be shoved down. Hugo didn’t deserve Varian’s mercy, nor his pity, nor his love-</p><p> </p><p>Wait. No, none of that. Hugo had <em>betrayed</em> him, had lied for him for nearly a <em>month</em>, had sold him out to be a weapon or a lab rat or-</p><p> </p><p>“Give me <strong>C̵̛̙̰̬̅̇̀͘ơ̵̖̒̑̓̋̑̔͒͐̑̑̑n̴̨̛͍̂̎̆̂̏́̽t̷̨̨̛̝͙̜̹͔̳͈̼̥̒̐̿͋͆͋̃̌̔̂̉͝ͅȑ̶̢̼͙͓̰̝̬̺̂͆͐̔̓͋̈́̅̍o̸̦̼͓̯̖͕̣̝̟̍̈̽͌͗̿͐͊̚͜ͅḻ̸̢̹̈́͛́̽̿”</strong> The Moonstone ordered, bringing her hands forwards to Varian’s shoulders. “I will make them suffer for what they did to us.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian teetered on the edge of letting her, but pulled back. “You’ll just try and kill me again.” He argued, “I’m not <em>stupid</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mh, not stupid.” The Moonstone agreed. Her hands were cold, the chill seeping into Varian’s skin from where she had his shoulders in her grip. “Just heartbroken. See where love gets you?”</p><p> </p><p>Her face was pulled in what might have been a sympathetic frown, if not for the glint of anger still resting in her eyes. Varian stared up at her, his mind reeling. Love? Love was such a <em>strong </em>word, really. Sure, Hugo was funny, and smart, and kind, and <em>stupidly</em> attractive but-</p><p> </p><p>Oh.</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone smiled at him, moving a hand up from his shoulder to pat at his cheek. “You seem to forget that we’re <strong>O̴̞̫̹͉̯̹̾̎͝͠ņ̵̖͕̒̎̾͝e̵̖̬̦̅ͅ”</strong> The hand on his face was ice cold.</p><p> </p><p>“I know <em>everything</em>.” She said, smiling at him as if he were a toddler who had just discovered something that was common knowledge. As if he were an idiot who had just solved their first puzzle. It made Varian’s blood boil. He tore himself from her grip, stalking towards the edge of their platform. The Moonstone didn’t follow, even when he turned back around to face her.</p><p> </p><p>Her observations may have been right, about this <em>thing</em> that had been fostering between Varian and Hugo, but that didn’t give her the right to act like he was nothing but a child to be corralled and guided. The purple void under their feet swirled dangerously, reacting to her frustration.</p><p> </p><p>“Give me <strong>C̵̛̙̰̬̅̇̀͘ơ̵̖̒̑̓̋̑̔͒͐̑̑̑n̴̨̛͍̂̎̆̂̏́̽t̷̨̨̛̝͙̜̹͔̳͈̼̥̒̐̿͋͆͋̃̌̔̂̉͝ͅȑ̶̢̼͙͓̰̝̬̺̂͆͐̔̓͋̈́̅̍o̸̦̼͓̯̖͕̣̝̟̍̈̽͌͗̿͐͊̚͜ͅḻ̸̢̹̈́͛́̽̿”</strong> The Moonstone repeated, folding her hands in front of her demurely. “And I will make them <em>pay.</em>”</p><p> </p><p>Varian felt the edge of the platform crumble slightly under one of his heels. He turned around, gazing into the endless void below them. The Moonstone began to draw forwards, fixing him with an impassive look.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t bother<strong> F̸̯̮̅̈į̴͖̭͗͝ͅg̷̳̕ḥ̶̡̟̋͌̚ͅt̷̟̺̭̻͌̉͊ḯ̷̛͖͓̻͎̀̕ň̸̬̱ͅg̶̰͑͌.”</strong> She said, holding out a hand. “I can take the pain away.”</p><p> </p><p>It was tempting. More than it should have been, honestly. To finally <em>sleep</em>, sink so deep into his own mind like being drawn out to sea in an undertow. To just rest, lock out the world and allow someone else to take the reins. Let <em>her</em> deal with his problems, deal with the pain, the fear, the <em>sorrow</em>-</p><p> </p><p>“No.” Varian sighed. If he let himself go under the waves there was no telling when he’d come back up. “I’ll see this through to the end.”</p><p> </p><p>The void was a gaping mouth under him, the edge of the platform the only thing between Varian and an eternal drop. The Moonstone seemed to figure out his thoughts before he did, lunging forwards with an enraged snarl. Varian looked at her with impassive eyes, tipped himself backwards, and let himself <em>fall</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Whelp. It's going down dudes.</p><p> <i> You guys seem to have forgotten what kind of writer I am lmao </i></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Whisper Justifies the Scream</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Varian has a series of bad days. Hugo makes his choice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Varian woke up with a heaving gasp. He scrambled for breath, a hand going to his chest as if he could push air into his lungs through sheer force. He groaned as he sat up, feeling the chill of stone below him. Cracking his eyes open, Varian was met by the sight of iron bars. No prizes for guessing where he’d ended up.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A cell, then.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He shuddered at the sight of the prison he’d been placed in, slowly transitioning his aching body from sitting to kneeling. Varian groaned at the soreness that permeated his limbs, the ache deep in his bones from what he’d assume was at least a few hours of being passed out on a stone floor. As he moved, he felt the inevitable feeling of a cuff around his ankle, a large chain linking him to the wall. It made a terrible rattling noise whenever he moved, grating in Varian’s ears and making his pounding head feel all the worse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cell was, as far as Varian could tell in the gloom, maybe four meters square. Varian was surrounded by stone walls on three sides, with a set of thick iron bars making up the fourth. He saw wooden floors and a second cell beyond the cars, and could assume he was in some kind of converted basement-dungeon-torture-chamber.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Wonderful</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian scoffed, shifting on the stone floor slightly. It was cold and dark, the weak sunlight filtering through a tiny window near the ceiling. The pitiful excuse for a window was barred as well, crossed with thick iron. <em>Ha</em>¸ as if that could ever have a hope of trapping him. Varian had the feeling that escaping on his own would be a cinch, with out without anyone’s help. The thought hurt a little, the idea that he was <em>on his own</em>. Hugo had betrayed him, after all, left him-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian shook himself; not wasn’t the time for self pity and regrets. He didn’t have time to cry and moan about the past, he had to think in the <em>now</em>. First step was trying to move; the motion was more than enough of a challenge to try and get his sluggish limbs to respond.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian stretched his arms up, reaching for the ceiling, but stopped short when he felt a strange pressure on his neck at the movement. His hand flew to the base of his neck, hesitantly feeling an iron ring with a large box attached to it on the side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Those bastards had really put a <em>collar </em>on him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian felt a seething rage, the sheer <em>audacity</em> of Donella and her band, thinking he could be stopped by some iron bars and a hunk of metal. He waved a hand towards the floor, feeling the Moonstone spring to life-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And crumbled immediately as an electric current <em>zapped</em> through him, a burning pain that made Varian scream in agony. He felt the muscles in his body lock up, a violent spasm taking over him as he collapsed to the ground. After a few more agonizing seconds it was done, the box on the side of the collar giving a little <em>whirr</em> as it powered down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian panted for air; the little breath he’d managed to catch was lost to him once again. He felt the cold of the stone beneath him seeping into his sore bones, feeling borderline blissful after the white-hot agony the collar had just caused. He felt himself convulse against the stone, a few more involuntary jerks of his muscles as he rode out the last of the electrical current.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The only noise in the cell was his laboured breathing. It echoed against the walls and floors, but Varian couldn’t find it within himself to try and muffle his pained gasps. He reached a hand up to the collar once again, grabbing at it with desperate fingers. Varian could barely fit his thin fingers between the iron and the skin of his neck, the thing seeming almost <em>made</em> <em>for him</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian idly wondered if Hugo had taken measurements for the torture device while he was asleep, but the thought was too upsetting to really stay for long. Seeing as Hugo had been playing him for a fool for a <em>month</em>, Varian wouldn’t put it past the blond to do something so insultingly invasive. Hell, Donella seemed to know everything else, why would something as small as <em>consent</em> stop her from knowing weirdly specific things about Varian. What else had Hugo told her? All those little details Varian had ever slipped to Hugo without thinking came to the forefront of his mind, big and bold in Varian’s thoughts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>By the Moon he was so <em>stupid</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He felt a chill as he was taken into a full body shudder, shivering as scooted back into the stone wall across from the bars. Varian brought his legs to his chest, his aching muscles protesting every movement. Varian hugged them tightly, in a sad attempt at comforting himself. He was trapped, and for the first time in his life he was cut off from the Moonstone entirely. It had gone quiet within him; she was either frustrated with his refusal to break, or cut off by the collar. Varian wasn’t sure which was a worse outcome for him, honestly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He let out a shuddery breath, curling up tighter in his corner-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sudden door slamming scared Varian out of his wits, his head snapping to the corridor outside the cell. His breathing picked up, the boy trying hard to make himself small enough to be missed. He pushed back into his corner as heavy footsteps echoed off the stone, the subtle <em>thunk</em> of thick boots. Varian refused to look up, staring at the ground as a pair of black boots appeared outside the cell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a tense beat of silence, Varian shrinking down as he realized those boots were terribly familiar.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hello, Moonstone.” Donella said blandly. “It’s about time you woke up. I was almost concerned we'd killed you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian shuddered at the implications, but steeled himself. Adira had taught him what to do if he ever found himself in this kind of a situation. He looked up and met Donella’s eye, moulding his face into a furious glare. Varian didn’t say a word, merely pressing his back into the stone behind him. Donella clucked her tongue, rolling her eyes. She leaned up against the bars, bringing an arm up to peer closer into his cell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Silent treatment, then?” She asked. “Cute, not that it will matter soon. Once we get the Moonstone out of you, you’ll be free to go, either way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian paled at that, his eyes widening. “I- you can’t do that.” His voice was scratchy, probably from all the screaming from when he’d been caught, but Varian refused to slow. “I’m its <em>host</em>, not a holder. If you try and separate us- it could kill me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Could it?” Donella asked with an air of disbelief. “And how would you know? It certainly seems like you haven’t tested it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was… a good point. He’d always just assumed-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No matter.” Donella continued, “Omelets and eggs, etcetera, etcetera. It won’t really matter to you once we’re done, one way or another.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian’s glare narrowed, body uncurling. Adira had always told him to stay quiet, but Varian was nothing if not mouthy to a fault. “You know, the way Hugo described you… I was expecting someone <em>more</em>.” He spat, “More threatening, more intelligent. You’re nothing better than a two-cent criminal; My family is going to <em>destroy</em> <em>you</em> when they find us.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella merely smiled, looking like Varian had just told a joke. “I would love to see them try.” She said, pushing away from the bars. “In fact, I welcome the challenge, since it was so easy to get a hold of you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian scowled at that, looking away. He tried to summon the Moonstone again, the slight flare all he could muster before the shock collar activated once again, stopping him short as he convulsed. It was a shorter burst this time, thankfully, but it still left Varian floored. He pressed back into the wall, trying to shrink into the stones as he fought to control his stuttering breaths.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella seemed fascinated by the effects of the collar, her hands twitching as if wanting to write. “<em>Fascinating</em>,” She murmured; Varian could see Hugo in the lights of her eyes. The thought made his stomach twist. “I designed it to shock you when it felt you use your powers, but to see it actually working is wondrous.” Her face twisted into a self-satisfied grin, “I’d recommend maybe putting a pause on the magic, Moonstone; I don’t want you frying yourself before we can get to the tests.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With that she turned around once more, leaving Varian’s limited line of sight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And don’t worry about getting lonely,” Donella called from somewhere down the hall, “I’m going to be sending you a little friend soon.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And with that, she slammed the door behind her, plunging the room into darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella was true to her word, as about three hours later Varian was greeted to a familiar face outside his cell. Varian hadn’t moved from his corner, refusing to have his back open to attack, even when alone in what he assumed was a basement. His visitor came into view, and Varian had to hold back a snarl when he saw who it was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Glowstick.” Hugo said hesitantly, a plate clutched between his hands awkwardly. “I- uh, I brought you food?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t want it.” Varian snapped, “Piss off.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo’s face fell at that, but he kept pushing. “C’mon, don’t be like that,” Hugo argued, holding the plate out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like <em>what</em>?” Varian shot back, “Like the first person I ever trusted outside my family betrayed me? Like someone I thought was my friend had been playing me like a fool for a <em>month</em>? Like you didn’t screw with my emotions and make me think you actually liked me before selling me out? Was <em>anything </em>you said even real?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo flushed at hearing it all laid out like that. He looked away, refusing to meet Varian’s glare head on. “Of <em>course </em>it was rea- you don’t understand!” Hugo finally said, “It wasn’t my choice, I-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not your <em>choice</em>?” Varian laughed at the sheer audacity. “Did Donella tell you to sell me out? Did she tell you to act like we were friends-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We are friends!” Hugo argued, but Varian cut him off again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are we?” Varian said, “Are we <em>really</em>? Because, last time I checked, friends don’t lock each other in cages!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s just until the Moonstone’s out of you,” Hugo slammed a fist against the bars, making them rattle. “Then we’re free to go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a tense silence between them, the two teenagers glaring at each other through the bars of Varian’s cell. Varian took a second to look down at Hugo’s arms, feeling a flash of guilt at the sight of crisp bandages wrapped around both of them. The blond wasn’t wearing his usual long-sleeved shirt, so Varian could see the miles of bandages Hugo had-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No. <em>No</em>, he didn’t care. Why the hell would Varian care if Hugo was hurt? Hugo <em>deserved it</em>, had betrayed Varian, the blond had gotten what was coming to him. Varian grit his teeth, eyes trailing up the bandages. He saw a flash of red on the inside of Hugo’s forearm, where blood had soaked through the bandages, and Varian felt his eyes slam shut on reflex.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The smaller boy finally broke their little battle of wills, looking away from Hugo as he curled up tighter in his corner. Hugo backed off as well, his hand dropping from the bars. Varian bit the inside of his cheek; he refused to look at Hugo quite yet, but the blond still needed to know the gravity of his mistake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hugo.” Varian said softly, “It might kill me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The blonde went pale. “What?” He whispered. Donella had been keeping that information close to the chest, it seemed. Maybe Hugo would be more willing to listen than his mentor was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It might kill me.” Varian repeated. “The Moonstone saved me as a baby, from the brink of death. I don’t know if I can survive being separated from it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Green eyes met blue, and Hugo looked honestly scared. “I- no it’ll be fine.” He said, sounding more like he was convincing himself than Varian. “Don said it would be fine. We’re just going to take the Moonstone out, and then you and I can go to Corona, like we were going to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You and I?” Varian scoffed, “Hugo if you really think there’s a <em>you and I </em>after this, I think you’ve tied that stupid ponytail a little too tight.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo’s hand flew to the back of his neck, nervously tugging at his hair. “I thought you liked the ponytail…” He murmured. Varian went a little red, as <em>yes,</em> he did actually like the ponytail, just not right now. Varian sighed, shifting his weight in his little corner. It was obvious he wasn’t getting through to Hugo; he’d have to try a different tactic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fear was a great motivator, after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hugo.” Varian said flatly, something vicious in him sparking in delight when Hugo’s eyes snapped to his own. “Make sure you give Adira’s sword back to her.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“W-what?” Hugo stuttered, sinking down onto his knees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When Adira and Hector get here,” Varian held Hugo’s gaze, unflinching as the blond went positively green. “I want you to give Adria her sword. It’s one of a set of three; she deserves to have it back.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo looked down to his hands. He gently pushed the plate through the bars, followed a little cup of water balanced on top of it. “I promise.” He said quietly, “But we can give it back to her, together. Once we’re on the same side again, you’ll see.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian uncurled from his corner, walking forwards on aching legs. He demurely stood in front of Hugo, leaning forwards so they were face to face. Varian wasn’t stupid, he knew how Hugo was at least physically attracted to him, and as much as it felt wrong to take advantage-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hugo,” Varian whispered, drawing closer. The blond leaned forwards, transfixed as Varian brought up a gentle hand to cup his cheek. Hugo still looked like shit after Lukas and his thugs, the black eye still prominent and the bruises marring his cheeks stood out starkly against pale skin. Hugo leaned into the touch, his lips just brushing Varian’s palm as the blond turned into Varian’s hand. The shorter boy held the pose for a second more, mourning what might have been, before snapping his hand down to Hugo’s shirt collar.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a rough yank Varian used his grip on Hugo to roughly pull the blond forwards, smashing the blond’s face into the bars. Hugo let out a cry as his face met metal, the thin frames of his glasses letting out a <em>crunch</em>. The blond shuffled back from the bars with a groan, Varian letting him go now that his point had been made.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There is no <em>us</em>, Hugo.” Varian hissed, making his way back into the depths of the cell. With a grunt he kicked the plate and cup back through the bars, the water spraying in a satisfying manner across the floor. “And there isn’t going to be a <em>you</em> when Adira and Hector get a hold of you. And I, personally,<em> can’t</em> <em>wait</em> to watch.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a flourish Varian reached towards his own neck, roughly grabbing then pendent Hugo had given him. He roughly yanked it from his throat, breaking the chain, and with a harsh throw Varian chucked it to the ground at the blond’s feet. Hugo lunged as it flew towards the stone, nearly falling in his attempt to catch it. He failed, the pendent hitting the stone with a small <em>crack</em>. It didn’t fully shatter, but Varian could see the cracks spiderwebbing on its surface.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian sat back in his corner, retaking his curled-up position. Hugo groaned as he rubbed at his nose, looking down at his glasses with a slight wince as he picked up one of the arms of the glasses. Hugo’s face fell as they broke in half, the blond left with one lens as the other fell back to the stone and shattered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I might have deserved that.” Hugo conceded, squinting at where Varian was. Varian had to hold back a smile at Hugo’s sass; even if Hugo was still funny, he was at the top of the shit-list right now and had to be treated as such.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And you’ll get more where that came from.” Varian shot back, slouching deeper into his corner. “So maybe go running back to <em>mommy</em>, Hugo. Since you need her to make your decisions for you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo scowled, but did as Varian told him, stumbling back from the bars and slowly holding out a hesitant hand for the wall. The blond bent double, scooping up the necklace gently. He held it, staring at it for second. His other hand reached for the wall, trying to orient himself.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once he found it Hugo was able to shuffle down the hall, really and truly blind without his glasses. Varian huffed, staring idly down at the puddle of water on the floor. He had to stay strong, and not fall into the casual rapport that he and Hugo had shared, even if it was as easy as breathing. Hugo was an enemy now, and had to be treated as such, <em>especially </em>once Hector and Adira figured out where Varian was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because they would, of course.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of that Varian was confident, to say the least. The Dark Brotherhood, even out of practice and long retired, were a formidable force. Varian knew that his aunty and uncle would be around for him soon, it was all a matter of patience. He would bide his time, wait for his family, and set them loose on Donella, Hugo, the whole bloody <em>lot </em>of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your face looks like <em>shit</em>, by the way.” Varian yelled down the hall, letting the spite take him for just a second longer. Varian could see Hugo’s back tense, and smirked as the blond had to shake himself before continuing down the hall.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian allowed himself to settle back against the wall as he heard Hugo finally leave the room. A door just out of Varian’s line of sight slammed shut violently; Hugo had left, then. The cold leeched in through his clothes, but Varian refused to sway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would be patient, and when Hell came for them, he’d be ready.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things began to blur.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian let out a gasp as his head was pulled out from the water he’d been shoved under. He greedily sucked air into his burning lungs, hands flying to the edge of the wooden tub below him. A hand in his hair tightened. The Moonstone crackled inside, and Varian could feel the slight sparking of electricity from the collar in response. He shoved the power down, gasping as the collar let up in response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella’s face took up his swirling vision suddenly, even as Varian coughed water up violently. She grabbed his chin, forcing him to blink through the tears and dripping water to meet her eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How do we remove the Moonstone?” She demanded, glaring as Varian blinked through the water dripping from his hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t <em>know</em>!” Varian hoarsely yelled back; the same explanation he’d been giving the last few times they’d tried drowning him to get an answer from him. “You really think if I knew how to get rid of it, I wouldn’t have done it already?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella sneered, waving casually at the man holding Varian in place. The boy barely got a breath sucked in before being forced back under the water, even as his shoulders tensed, and he tried to hold himself above water. Sound was muffled as his head was forced back under; Varian’s eyes slammed close to protect them as best he could. He flailed an arm out, trying to pry the hand from his hair with little success.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They held him under until he began to lose consciousness, sparking lights dancing behind his closed eyelids until they finally brought him back up for air-</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian <em>screamed</em> as electricity shot through him, struggling against the bindings keeping him strapped to an examination table. His muscles convulsed, worse than with the collar, so much worse, and he could feel his heart literally <em>stutter</em> which was horrifying. He shuddered as the electricity ended, brokenly gasping through tears of pain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella leaned over him, face impassive as he sobbed. “You know what I’m about to ask.” She said, holding a remote with a dial on it in front of his face. “Answer my question, or we’ll turn it up and go again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t <em>know</em>!” Varian wailed, screaming to the high stone ceilings. He was begging, pleading, with any god that was listening for this to end.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wrong answer.” Donella chided, cranking the dial. “We’ll try for eight, instead of six. See how you feel after that.” Her thin hand hit a button without drama. Varian began to scream again as white-hot agony shot through him, by the Moon let it <em>end</em>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo watched in horror as Varian’s head snapped to the side from where the punch had landed. The almost healed bruises on his cheeks pulled uncomfortably as Hugo winced. Varian let out a grunt, the force of it nearly snapping his teeth. The lug Donella had doing the dirty work backed off at a wave of her hand, the woman grabbing and Varian’s dazed face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Answer.” She spat, gripping so tight her nails dug into his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I dun…” Varian slurred, eyes unfocused. “I… don-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella scoffed, shoving Varian’s face back. The force of it slammed his back into the wooden chair he was tied to. She turned to Hugo, who snapped to attention at her furious expression. “Take him back to his cell.” She barked, “I have research to do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo rushed to obey, dropping to the floor to untie Varian’s bound hands from the chair. “<em>Shit</em> goggles, let’s get you looked at.” Hugo muttered, scooping Varian’s limp body up gently. Varian murmured something, but Hugo didn’t catch it as he quickly removed Varian from the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been almost two weeks of this, of watching Donella torture Varian for the answer she was looking for. Varian hadn’t given in yet, obviously, but Hugo could see in the slumping of his body that the smaller boy was close to giving in. It hurt Hugo, to see Varian so ruined, covered in bruises and blood, clinging to the hope that his family would come save him. Hugo knew that the mansion was too hidden, however. Hector and Adira would never find them here, no matter how hard they searched. It would be near impossible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian let out a pained groan in Hugo’s arms, and Hugo almost mimicked him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cell Donella was keeping Varian in was only just down the hall from where they’d been <em>interrogating</em> him, so it was easy enough to get him to the chamber. Hugo laid Varian down on the hard cot they’d put in there after Hugo had begged Donella, but the smaller boy didn’t stir quiet yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo gently used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe at the blood from Varian’s face. Varian grimaced at the pressure, but Hugo didn’t let up. Varian’s eyes finally cracked open again, but Hugo saw only fire in them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Goggles… <em>Varian</em>.” Hugo said, refusing to back down. “<em>Please</em> just tell her.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I have- ugh, told her, I’ve <em>been</em> telling her for weeks!” Varian shot back, weakly shoving at Hugo’s hands and sitting up on the cot. Hugo was left kneeling down by Varian’s knees. “<em>I</em> <em>don’t know how to get the Moonstone out</em>.” Varian hissed, rubbing at his cheek where he’d been struck. “And even if I did, she can’t be allowed to know. That kind of power in her hands… Hugo, it’d be a disaster.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She just wants to study it,” Hugo defended his mentor, lying through his teeth. “For science.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure,” Varian scoffed. “For <em>science</em>. Which is why I look the way I do. Purely academic.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo winced, adjusting his new glasses on the bridge of his nose. They didn’t quite fit right, but he hadn’t had time to go get new ones. “She’s just doing what she thinks is best.” Hugo said weakly. Varian scoffed, batting Hugo’s hands away as the blond tried to clean his face again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian scrunched his nose and spat roughly, blood hitting the stone floor with a <em>splat</em>. Hugo pulled a face, but backed off as Varian stood and went to hide in his corner once again. Hugo watched him go, standing himself as Varian retook the place he’d claimed in the cell for the past two weeks. Varian shoved himself into his corner, back to the walls as he fixed Hugo with a venomous glare.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go back to Donella, Hugo.” Varian grumbled, hugging his bruised torso tight. “I don’t have the patience for you right now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo bristled at that, fixing Varian with a glare. “You don’t understand,” The blond muttered, standing and towering over Varian’s exhausted figure. “I can’t just <em>not</em> listen to her, she’s everything I have!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, what?” Varian snarked, “You just keep <em>yes ma’am-ing</em> until the day you die? And then what, Hugo? What happens when she’s not around to tell you what to do anymore?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like you’re one to talk, <em>farm boy</em>.” Hugo sneered. Varian seemed to almost puff up with indignation at that, pushing off the wall slightly to face Hugo head on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?!” Varian said, “<em>Really</em>, you’re going to pull that on me? I told you that in confidence, you asshole, and now you’re throwing it in my face-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You started it!” Hugo growled, “You think I <em>like this</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well you certainly aren’t doing anything to <strong>H̷̳̰̣̩̫͕͂ę̸̢̢̰̦̳̲̥̼͖̞̞̭͓͗͊̄͌̈́̄̏̄͗͂͝l̶̺̼̆̓͂̀̅͐̾̽̃̄̚͝p̷̧͇̰̣͉͚͕̲̣̠̞̺̘̟̽͂̿̉̃-” </strong>Varian’s voice was cut off by a <em>zap</em> of electricity coursing through his veins at the involuntary channeling of the Moonstone. Varian dropped like a stone, shrieking in pain as the collar activated. Varian’s knees made an unhealthy noise as they slammed into the floor under him, the rest of Varian’s convulsing body following along shorty after. Hugo rushed forwards before he could think about it, reaching for Varian.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The smaller boy held up his hands to stop Hugo, not in anger but in warning. “No!” Varian yelled through the pain, “It’ll sho-AH-ock you too!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo backed off, waiting until Varian stopped convulsing on the floor. When the collar finally clicked off, Varian began to pant for breath. Hugo reached for him hesitantly, but was surprised when Varian took his hand to sit up. The only noise between them was Varian’s harsh breathing. Hugo’s eyes trailed around Varian’s bruised body, noting with a wince every burn, every scrape, every piece of evidence of Donella’s interrogation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m… I’m sorry Varian.” Hugo whispered into the silence. Varian’s head snapped up to Hugo, looking shocked at the apology. “I wish it wasn’t this way…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then <em>help me</em>, Hugo.” Varian’s voice broke with the plea. “Let me <em>go</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo felt his face scrunch up at the agony of it, the inability to fix his own mistake, at seeing the effect his own shitty decisions had on people who were <em>important</em>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can’t.” Hugo’s voice was as broken as his heart. “Donella would hunt us down. Once she can remove the Moonstone-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then I might be dead.” Varian cut him off bluntly. “So it won’t matter either way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo cringed at the reminder. He began to back away, slowly locking the cell door behind him as he did so. Varian sank back to the floor in his corner, refusing to have his back exposed. Hugo looked at him for another second, trying to compare the huddled figure in the corner to the Varian he’d gotten to know and love the past month. It was like night and day, seeing this broken boy in the place of his friend; the agony of it came in waves, Hugo knew above all else he was responsible for the change.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hugo?” Varian’s voice was weak, but still echoed against the stone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, Sweetcheeks?” Hugo responded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can you make sure my body gets back to my dad?” Varian’s words made Hugo feel hollow, like his chest had been carved out in one fell swoop; his guts pulled from his shattered rib cage without preamble. The blond looked at Varian with horror, stumbling over the words he wanted to say in response.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I’m sorry, it won’t come to that, I think I might lov-</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian’s voice was stronger now, as he looked Hugo dead in the eye. It echoed unwaveringly from the cell as he stared at Hugo from the shadows, blue eyes flashing through the gloom.   </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I want him to have something to bury.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo was pacing. <em>Again</em>. He’d been doing that a lot, in the two weeks since they’d brought Varian back to base. Every time he had to think, he’d begin to pace back and forth in the small space his bedroom had.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eight paces, turn, eight paces, turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The guilt was eating him alive. Varian was obviously beginning to crack, down there in that cell. Something about the way Varian had seemed to accept his own supposed death was haunting Hugo, the way Varian had truly given into the realization that he might not be leaving Donella’s mansion alive. Hugo had left Varian without an answer, had run from the cell like a coward, had run from his own <em>feelings</em> like they were out to kill him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In a way, Hugo was sure they were.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eight paces, turn, eight paces, turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It would be foolish to try and go against Donella. He’d tried it before, to get Varian away from their trap and it had failed spectacularly. It was a fool’s dream to think that he could just burst in and sweep Varian off his feet like some fairy-tale knight in shining armor. The real world didn’t work like that- as if Varian would let him, anyways. Even if they did manage to make it out of the manor together, Donella wouldn’t let them go that easily, <em>especially </em>if Varian still had the Moonstone. They’d be hunted together for the rest of their lives, Varian particularly. It wasn’t worth it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The hollowness in Hugo’s chest had yet to fill back in. It remained a steady empty feeling, cold and angry and <em>sick</em> in the way it consumed every thought Hugo had. <em>Varian</em> consumed Hugo’s thoughts like a fever burning through his mind, unyielding in the way it demanded attention.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo paced faster, bouncing on his feet as he made his turns. His room in the Corona stronghold was relatively bare, though they never really stayed in Corona for too long, to be fair. Donella and her gang tended to hide in their homeland, the Iron Kingdom, though for now it was easier to wait out the fallout from a previous heist in Corona. The bedroom was smaller, mostly taken up by a large bed in the corner, but Hugo had made room to shove a desk up against one of the stone walls. It was covered in assorted abandoned inventions and papers, though one thing stood out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Adira’s sword, still in its scabbard, was slung over the back of the chair. Donella had given it to him for safekeeping, not trusting her common thugs not to get too hands on with the thing. Hugo stared at it impassively, pausing his pacing as he looked at it with contempt. The thought of Varian came back to the forefront of Hugo’s mind, and the blond resumed pacing with a scoff. He tore his eyes away from the sword, rubbing at the back of his neck. He idly took hold of his ponytail and tugged until he felt pain at the base of his neck. It grounded him, and his thoughts, as he kept pacing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eight paces, turn, eight paces, turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I want him to have something to bury.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo let out a groan at the thought of Varian’s request. There was no way Donella would actually kill him, right? She’d said he’d be fine, once they could remove the Moonstone for study Varian would be free to go. Hugo would make it up to him, he could already see that Varian wasn’t irredeemably angry with Hugo, the blond would just have to <em>work for it</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the quiet of his bedroom, Donella’s voice echoed in Hugo’s mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I said a lot of things, Hugo, not all of them true.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo’s eyes closed at the reminder, his pacing only getting more and more frantic as he remembered. Donella had promised that Varian wouldn’t be harmed, as well, and look how well <em>that</em> had turned out. His mind flashed back to Varian, bruised, bloody, and <em>broken</em> on the floor of that stupid cell-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella had given Hugo everything. She’d plucked him off the streets as a starving child, given him purpose, a home, a mission. Hugo couldn’t just abandon that, couldn’t just leave it all behind for the boy he’d already betrayed. Who’s to say Varian would even want him back? Would even give Hugo the time of day after all this? Hell, if Varian didn’t kill him then Hugo had the suspicious feeling that Hector and Adira would <em>gladly</em> do so.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo tugged harder at his ponytail, ripping at the thin hairs at the back of his neck. A shot of pain made him wince, dropping his hand as he paced.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eight paces, turn, eight paces, turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian didn’t deserve this. Hugo’s mind snapped back to the same reasoning that had led him astray from Donella before, that last breakfast he’d shared with Varian before this whole thing had blown up in Hugo’s face. Varian was good. He was happy, and kind, and <em>true</em> in a way that made Hugo feel like he was looking at the sun every time Varian smiled at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian was bright, like a full moon on a summer’s night. Hugo wasn’t anywhere near worthy of his time, nor his friendship, and yet Varian had given it willingly. In return Hugo had taken that precious gift, something that should have been the most important thing he’d ever had, and chucked it away for the sake of his miserable existence as Donella’s lackey.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Varian had <em>trusted him</em>, had given Hugo a look into the information that Varian had been told to <em>never</em> let out. And Hugo had spat in his face, taken advantage of his naivete, led him to what might be his death.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The pendant in his pocket was heavy, the cracked glass still holding strong but decidedly on the cusp of turning to a pile of broken glass at the wrong touch. He idly thumbed at it in his pocket, gently feeling the bumps caused by the breaks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eight paces, turn, eight paces, turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella was potentially going to kill Varian for the Moonstone. She was willing to go that far, for the sake of profit. The thought made Hugo sick to his stomach, the hollow feeling in his chest thumping in time with his heart. The fever burned hotter, the memory of Varian’s devastated eyes peeking out from the shadows of his cell as he faced down death. Donella was willing to let this keep going until the Moonstone was hers. Hugo knew that the Moonstone itself had said that one of the ways to separate Varian from it was to kill him, hence the stunt on the cliff, but that couldn’t possibly be the only way to do it, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Donella didn’t seem to care either way, and the thought was enough to make Hugo’s already racing mind go all the faster. Donella had killed people before, hell Hugo had inadvertently caused more than a few deaths, but it was never people like Varian who got hurt. It was always people who were like Hugo, shitty and evil and <em>cruel</em>, who had earned their slot in hell ages ago.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eight paces, turn, eight paces-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stop.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo paused to look at the sword again. The scabbard was simple brown leather, unassuming in a way that was deceiving. It was perfect, the way it was designed to have the eye slip it by, without any hints as to the one of a kind treasure that lay within. Hugo’s mind was drawn to the image of Varian’s eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hugo shook himself one last time. The torches of his room crackled merrily, bathing the room in a soft light. <em>If </em>he decided to do this, he would need backup. Donella kept the key to Varian’s cell around her neck when it wasn’t being used by herself or Hugo. It would be impossible to get Varian out without some kind of distraction; Donella barely trusted Hugo with the key as it was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sword’s handle glinted in the firelight, and Hugo let out a groan. He knew <em>exactly</em> where to look, but he was by no means <em>pleased</em> by the idea. He covered his face with his hands, letting out a muffled scream of frustration.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was time for a family reunion, it seemed.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AHHH it's all gone to hell but at least Hugo's finally gotten his head out of his ass! And look fellas! We've got fanart from the absolutely phenomenal <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jjgg_art/">jjgg_art</a> on instagram! Someone please go tell her how much I love her!! Because I've just been screaming in her inbox for like a week, because LOOK AT THEM THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. To Mourn, Forlorn, to be Torn from You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hugo gets his act together, but hindsight is 20/20</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey all! Super quick note that <b>THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GIFS</b> in the from of a pretty subtle "glitchy" animation on one of the banners. They will also feature heavily in next week's chapter. If that is going to impede your ability to read the story, please let me know, and I'll be happy to post a separate "non-animated" version! </p>
<p>This chapter is also dedicated to my wifu, Cayenneavocado for her birthday!! Hope it's a good one babes, you deserve all the best &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dolos let out a small nicker as Hugo idly pulled on his reins. He led the horse further down the trail they were walking down, dreading every crack of a twig and rustle of leaves. It was one of the major paths- the one that Hugo had taken Varian down originally before Donella had cornered them- surrounded on both sides by thick forests and towering trees. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, little shadows dancing along the tightly packed earth of the trail. Dolos shook his mane a few times, the horse not used to wandering around without a caravan to pull. </p>
<p>The wind was a calm summer’s breeze, the scent of pine and rich earth thick in the air. The forests of Corona were typically safe, seeing as the kingdom was <em>crawling</em> with guards, but Hugo had the feeling the two people he was searching for were the type to get away with murder if they so pleased. If they found him and decided he was dead, he was <em>dead</em>. </p>
<p>The sun was only just cresting over the horizon, Hugo having disappeared from Donella’s mansion when the moon was high in the sky. It was best to vanish under the cover of night, even if it made <em>technically</em> stealing Dolos a little more difficult. The forest was quiet, but Hugo knew that was probably a deceiving thing. </p>
<p>Adira’s sword was heavy on his back, the weight of the thing digging into his shoulders. This was why Hugo preferred alchemy; it was lighter, cleaner, and generally less of a hassle than the whole sword business. Dolos gave out another whinny as they wandered, Hugo scanning for any signs of the odd pair Varian called his relatives. Hugo was <em>this</em> close to just yelling for them, if he wasn’t concerned about one of Donella’s lackeys hearing him. What a weird thought, to not be a <em>lackey</em> himself anymore- </p>
<p>Hugo let out a shriek as he was tackled clean off of Dolos’ back. It was far from his proudest moment, the blond tasting dirt as the body that had hit him landed deftly on their feet while Hugo himself landed flat on his face. Hugo gasped for air as pain raced through his shoulder, ignoring Dolos’ shocked stomping as the blond was grabbed by the back of his collar of his shirt and roughly pulled to his feet. The world went sideways as he found himself being shoved away from the horse and towards the towering trees that bordered the path. </p>
<p>Hugo’s back slammed into a tree, a sharp zing of pain shooting up his spine at the hit. A sword, made of the same black rock as the one currently on Hugo’s back, quickly found its way under his chin, effectively pinning him in place. </p>
<p>“Where’s our kid?” Hector asked, face only inches from Hugo’s. The blond did his best to avoid cutting himself on the blade just brushing his Adam’s apple, catching sight of Adira just off to the side. </p>
<p>“N-not here!” Hugo gasped, “But I know where he is!” </p>
<p>“What the <em>hell</em> happened?” Adira spat. Hector refused to let up, keeping Hugo pinned to the tree with one beefy arm. Hugo was propped up on his tiptoes, barely able to keep his feet on the ground. </p>
<p>“I- Donella- <em>will you please just let me explain</em>?” Hugo finally yelled, glaring at Hector. </p>
<p>The man looked to his sister, who had fixed Hugo with a calculating look. Her arms were crossed, but eventually she waved two of her fingers in a silent motion. Hector let Hugo drop to the ground, the teenager gasping for breath as he fell to his knees. He caught sight of Ruddiger weaving around Adira’s ankles, the raccoon hissing when Hugo’s gaze caught his. Hugo shrank back, seeing the cuddly pet so angry. </p>
<p>Hector backed off properly as Adria moved forwards. Hugo was met by the sight of her boots, looking up at her with wide eyes. </p>
<p>“Where’s our nephew?” She asked, the ice in her voice making Hugo shudder. </p>
<p>“I may have made a mistake…” Hugo started, slowly getting back to his feet. He held out his hands in a placating gesture, his green eyes nervously flicking between the two people in front of him. “Varian’s in trouble, and I need help to get him out of it.” </p>
<p>“What kind of mistake?” Hector spat from the sidelines. Hugo could feel himself shrinking under their glares. “What kind of <em>trouble</em>?” </p>
<p>“I- might have told someone about him.” Hugo said, “And then led him to her-<em>OI</em>!” </p>
<p>Hugo was cut off as Hector’s sword swiped at him. Hugo scurried around the tree at his back, hiding behind it as he heard the rapid <em>thunks </em>of several throwing knives embedding themselves into the bark. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry, you did <em>WHAT</em>?!” Hector demanded, letting loose another throwing knife into the tree. Hugo cowered, even as Adira raised a hand to stay off Hector's rage. Hugo cautiously peeked around the tree, gulping when he saw five knives embedded deep into the trunk at head height. He looked over to Adira, who hadn’t moved beyond holding Hector off. </p>
<p>“Why the change of heart?” She spoke, her voice firm. “You must know how dangerous it would be for you to come tell us, so <em>why</em>?” </p>
<p>“I…” Hugo trailed off, “Varian… doesn’t deserve it. I thought it was right to listen to my mentor but- I- <em>shit</em>.” He trailed off, wiping stubbornly at his eyes, shoving his glasses up to reach. “I messed up- I wasn’t thinking- it’s not fair if Varian has to suffer for it-” </p>
<p>Adira’s brow raised. Hugo refused to meet her eye, feeling himself grow red under her calculating stare. She finally held her hand out, calloused palm up. Hugo looked at her, then down to her hand, then back up. </p>
<p>“Sword.” She demanded. Hugo frantically took the scabbard off his shoulders, borderline shoving it back into her hand. He was glad to be rid of it. She popped it from the scabbard, inspecting it carefully before sheathing it, looping the strap around her shoulders and letting it settle. </p>
<p>“We’ll spare you, for directions.” She said flatly. Hector made an offended noise, but she continued. “Your life for information. Make it snappy, Glasses.” </p>
<p>Hugo felt himself bristle at the nickname, but nodded. Now was decidedly not the time to start picking fights. “I’ll show you,” He said, “I know that mansion inside and out, I can take you to him.” </p>
<p>Adira nodded, but when Hugo made to move for Dolos, she stopped him with a firm palm to the chest. </p>
<p>“When this is over,” She said frost evident in her voice, “You’re never going to see Varian again; I promise you this. I don’t care what kind of <em>affection</em> you’ve decided you hold for my nephew, if you go near him, I <em>gut you</em>. Are we clear?” </p>
<p>Hugo had never seen her look so <em>angry</em>. She’d look irritated, frustrated, hell even upset in the month he’d been running from her, but the absolute <em>rage</em> on her face was enough to make him want to sink into the ground. </p>
<p>“Crystal, ma’am.” Hugo breathed, terrified. </p>
<p>“Good.” Her face snapped back into its impassive mask, the woman shoving him towards Dolos just a <em>little </em>too hard. The horse grunted at Hugo’s weight, but stayed steady. Adira shouldered past Hugo, the blond shrinking back as she passed. Hector merely growled as he walked by as well, the pair of them retrieving their respective mounts from nearby. Even the raccoon left Hugo behind, scurrying up onto Hector’s shoulders. Obviously, they’d all been waiting for him.</p>
<p>They were probably just as worried about Varian as Hugo was. </p>
<p>Hugo sighed and retook his position on top of Dolos, turning the old horse around. “C’mon buddy,” He murmured to the loyal animal, patting at the side of Dolos’ neck. “Let’s go get Varian.” </p>
<p>Something told Hugo, as he heard Adira and Hector begin to follow his lead back to the mansion, that it wasn’t going to be that simple.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The first thing they heard when they arrived at the manor was <em>screaming</em>. </p>
<p>The building wasn’t overly large, oddly enough. The Corona base was smaller than Donella’s usual fare, seeing as it was more of a <em>hideout</em> than a base. From the outside it was a simple looking two-story manor, having once been decorated with the opulence of a lord’s summer home, but having fallen into disrepair as the years ate away at it. It was covered in overgrowth, nature trying to claim a spot between cracked cobblestones and old wood. The mansion had large, wide windows dotting the front of it, windows that Donella had allowed to nearly be covered in curling ivy so badly you could barely see inside. </p>
<p>Hugo didn’t pause to tie up Dolos, seeing one of the upper story windows flashing with a horrific blue light as Varian’s pained screaming drifted high and reedy in the summer wind. Adira and Hector followed, but nowhere near as quickly as Hugo was able to run. Hugo sprinted for the front door, taking the stone steps three at a time and nearly ripping the faded red door from its hinges. He bolted deeper into the dark house, memory serving him as he flew up the L-shaped stairs in a panic. </p>
<p>The second story of the manor was just as decrepit as the first, functional but not well maintained, an open hall with many doors lining the walls, a grubby carpet runner rumpled along the creaky floorboards. Hugo didn’t stop to stare, sprinting away from the stairs as the screaming upped in pitch. </p>
<p>“Varian!” Hugo yelled, slamming into the wall as he tried to round a corner and slipped on the decorative rug. “<em>Varian</em>!” Hugo ignored the pain in his shoulder from Hector’s attack, ignored the shock of the deeper cuts on his arms splitting open again, spurred on by one single thought: <em>he had to get to Varian.</em> </p>
<p>Varian’s cries were getting louder and louder as Hugo drew closer to one of the bedrooms, and the blond’s heart sank when he realized which one. Donella had commandeered one of them as her laboratory ages ago, filling it with her machines and experiments whenever they were in the area. If Varian was in there, she must have- </p>
<p>Hugo threw the door open, unwilling to pause for even a second as Varian’s cries got even louder. They rattled in Hugo’s ears, that hollow feeling from before creeping in at the sight in the room beyond. It was a large area, Donella having knocked down a dividing wall into the other bedroom on the floor to create a huge, rectangular workspace. Massive windows lined the northern wall, the ones Hugo had seen the lights through outside. The wooden floors were dark and stained with years of neglect and alchemical mistakes, though the walls remained the same ugly tan color Hugo knew they had been for years. </p>
<p>Lights flashed from the center of the room, where a large machine stood proud. It was a large boxy block of slapped together metal and wires, a multitude of blinking lights going haywire as the machine did its work, from the top of the machine a large arm extended, wrapped in wires and tubes. It looked almost like a doctor’s examining light, the great arm sticking out the top of it and hovering over a table, upon which was strapped- </p>
<p>“Varian!” Hugo shouted once again, his cracking voice barely carrying over Varian’s agonized screams. The machine bathed him in a red light, making worrying whirring noises as Donella fiddled with an assortment of knobs and levers on one side of it. Varian was strapped down at the wrists and ankles, that damned collar nearly sparking as his hair flickered between glowing and not. It was the cause of the blue light, Varian’s hair, as the boy tried desperately to connect with the Moonstone in order to save himself. The shocks from the collar didn’t seem to be enough to stop Varian from drawing from his powers, despite the way his face was scrunched up in agony. </p>
<p>Hugo was moving before he could think, stumbling forwards in horror as Varian’s screaming got <em>shrill</em>. Hector and Adira barreled past Hugo, but they too stopped short as a bright white light began to emerge from Varian’s chest. Hugo, Hector, Adira, and Donella were all forced to shield their eyes from the burning light, Hugo nearly bending double in an attempt to keep an eye on Varian. He tried to stumble forwards only to be shoved back into the doorframe by a pulse of energy. Hugo’s shoulder zinged in pain from the impact, but it was nothing compared to the shock of being <em>physically moved </em>by the energy. Adira and Hector were thrown back as well, and Hugo had <em>no</em> idea where Donella ended up in the chaos.</p>
<p>The windows in the room shattered outwards, the pulsing repeating every few seconds. Hugo chanced a look to Varian, seeing what almost looked like a bright, white hot snow beginning to separate itself from the boy’s skin, almost like they were being torn from him as he screamed. They floated upwards gently in a drastic contrast to the violence the energy was causing. Varian was writhing in his restraints, and another wave of power sent Hugo right back into the doorframe. The furniture in the room was tossed like children’s toys, bookshelves topping and desks flipping in the face of the energy waves. Paper, pens, beakers, everything was sent flying through the room in the chaos, the walls themselves groaning under the stress as the old house tried to survive the constant blows. </p>
<p>Black rocks began to punch up through the floors; Hugo realized in a sudden fit of clarity that meant they’d gone straight through the first floor of the building. The mansion moaned in agony as the Moonstone began to tear it apart, the rocks ripping the building to shreds. Wooden floorboards cracked under the stress, the walls <em>groaned</em> like a pained beast. Between the pulses, Hugo could hear panicked screaming from the first story of the house. Glass shattered, walls crumbled, furniture was thrown like it didn’t weigh a thing; the rocks quickly laid waste to the Corona stronghold like it was made of paper. </p>
<p>And, in the middle of it all, Varian <em>screamed</em>. </p>
<p>Varian’s back was arched so high he was nearly bent in half, his hands and feet trapped on the examination table as his chest went skyward. Varian thrashed violently as the white light got brighter and brighter, the pulses more aggressive. The collar was <em>screaming</em> as it shocked Varian, constantly activated in the light of the Moonstone’s sudden anarchy. </p>
<p>Hugo’s glasses were ripped from his face by one aggressive wave, and he lost all sense of what was happening in the room as the pulses began to happen in faster intervals. A great noise accompanied every beat, the force of the shockwaves causing something not unlike thunder to rattle through the room. The bursts were barely even separate now, overlapping over each other in a storm of energy and noise that rattled the seams of the room and threatened to bring it all down upon them. Hugo braced himself against the doorframe behind him, clawing into the wood like it was his last lifeline as the light shone brighter than the sun. Hugo chanced one last look up as Varian wailed to the high heavens, the bright flakes forming into a small, glowing sphere above his chest as the boy twisted himself up in agony. </p>
<p>With one last scream the light dimmed from his hair and Varian fell limp on the examination table with a terrible <em>thunk</em>. The pulses stopped, the room settling now that the energy seemed to be contained. The collar turned off with a small <em>whirr</em>, almost deafening in the sudden silence. Hugo finally found his glasses, shoving them onto his face and looking up to Varian with shock.</p>
<p>Above Varian’s limp body hovered a small gem, barely the size of a coin. It glowed a sinister blue, sending out gentle pulses of energy every few seconds. It just… <em>floated</em>, about a foot away from Varian’s unmoving chest. Hugo froze, staring at the slack body on the table. The horror began to creep through his thoughts, consuming everything in its path. <em>Had he been too late</em>? </p>
<p>A figure moved from behind the broken corpse of the machine. </p>
<p>Donella reached forwards, intending to grab the stone. Hugo heard frantic footsteps behind him, and only just got out of the way as Adira vaulted over an upturned table, firmly kicking Donella away from what had to be the Moonstone. Hector followed, even as Donella let out an angry shout and pulled a series of alchemical bombs out of her pockets. Hugo ignored the adults as they began to fight, Donella giving Varian’s guardians a run for their money. The Moonstone drifted towards the adults, the three of them all reaching for the stone and denying one another in tandem. </p>
<p>Hugo scrambled to his feet, running for the only thing in the room that mattered. </p>
<p>“Hey, Goggles,” Hugo murmured, reaching the table Varian was strapped to. “It’s gunna be okay, just… just stay with me, c’mon.” He frantically undid the straps with shaking hands, wincing at Varian’s bruised wrists and ankles. “You’re okay, you’ve gotta be okay-” </p>
<p>Varian’s head lolled as Hugo bent over the table to lean close. He held Varian’s face with reverence, slowly leaning forwards. His hands shook, the panic settling in as Varian remained limp. </p>
<p>“<em>Varian</em>,” Hugo pleaded as he leaned close to Varian’s face, hoping to hear breath. “Varian please don’t do this to me, don’t do this.” His ear was right next to Varian’s lax lips. The fear and anxiety Hugo felt caused him to hold his own breath, hoping, <em>praying</em>, to hear a sign of life. Hugo was by no means a religious man, but by the Maker if Varian were alive then- </p>
<p>And there, like a lighthouse’s bell after a storm, Hugo could hear shaky breath. </p>
<p>He let out a relieved laugh, more of a puff of air than an actual noise. “There you are,” Hugo whispered, leaning close so that his forehead was pressed against Varian’s. “There you <em>are</em>, Sweetcheeks.” </p>
<p>He could hear them now, those rattling breaths that forced their way in and out of Varian’s chest. Hugo pushed his forehead against Varian’s just that little bit more, the pressure reminding him that Varian was <em>here</em>, alive, <em>breathing</em>-</p>
<p>Hector let out an agonized cry as Donella threw a beaker full of some kind of noxious chemical at him, the man screeching in pain as something almost acidic began to eat through his armor on one of his arms. Adira lunged, brutally knocking Donella back with a well-timed kick- </p>
<p>Hugo didn’t flinch at the noise. His world had shrunk down to the place his shaking hands touched Varian’s face; his entire being was contained in the fingers that were lucky enough to graze tanned skin. Hugo could feel his eyes begin to burn, starting from the back and quickly moving forwards as the tears began to well. Hugo sniffled pathetically, his glasses fogging as the tears began to fall. He tore them from his face, roughly dropping them onto the table Varian laid on- </p>
<p>Donella screamed as she was thrown across the room, slamming into a fallen bookshelf, paper and ink going flying on impact- </p>
<p>Hugo’s shoulders hitched with sobs, the tears falling down onto Varian’s lax face. “It’s gunna be okay.” Hugo gasped out through the tears, “Varian, it’s going to be okay. We’ll- I left. For you. It’s all behind us, I helped, like you asked. <em>Please</em>, please just wake up for me?” </p>
<p>Varian didn’t move, but that was okay. So long as he kept breathing, Hugo would fill the silence between them. </p>
<p>“C’mon, don’t do this.” Hugo begged, his shoulders shaking with each sob. He slipped Varian’s pendant from where the blond had been keeping it in his pocket; Hugo held it gently. He took one of Varian’s hands, slipping the glass into his lax palm. The chill of Varian’s hand was concerning, but Hugo held it, nonetheless- </p>
<p> Adira deftly dodged Donella’s knife, sliding to the side with the grace of a dancer. Donella took the split second to lunge for the Moonstone, only to be firmly stopped by a punch to the gut from Hector’s good hand. She collapsed to the ground- </p>
<p>“Varian,” Hugo breathed; his eyes pinched shut against the tears. “Varian, come back to me? I need y-” </p>
<p>“Out of the way, Glasses!” Adira yelled, yanking Hugo back from Varian. He only just managed to snag his glasses off the table. Hugo tried to reach for Varian, only to be shoved backwards. Hector grabbed him by the arms, holding firm as Adira reached Varian, Moonstone in hand. She looked between the two of them for a second, as if making a difficult choice. </p>
<p>“<em>Shit</em>.” She muttered, and even Hector looked surprised at the curse. “By the Moon, this had better work, kid, or your father’s going to kill me-” </p>
<p>And with that, she shoved the Moonstone right into the spot above Varian’s heart.</p>
<p>Varian let out a weak whine when the Moonstone touched him, the energy of it sizzling through his shirt until it hit skin. When it did, Varian lunged off the table as if her were burned, gasping as if coming up from underwater, his unseeing eyes wide open. Hugo tried to move forwards again, but Hector’s grip stopped him. Adira caught Varian, keeping him upright as the boy fought to breathe again. His hair flashed blue; the gem embedded in his skin crackled with power. </p>
<p>“Breathe, Hairstripe.” Adria murmured, supporting Varian with a hand on his shoulder. “That’s it, just breathe. You’re okay.” Her other hand dropped her sword, rubbing at Varian’s back as he began to cough on too big breaths. The light of his hair dimmed, but instead of being its usual black it remained a teal blue, like his stripe had been normally. It was like the stripe had taken over his whole head, encompassing Varian’s normal hair. His eyes were different too, Hugo noticed with a start. They were still blue, but now they held an almost electric looking tint to them, something wild and uncontained. </p>
<p>Varian’s breathing began to level, the boy bringing up shaking hands to cling to his aunt. Adira transitioned from holding him up to hugging him tightly, muttering something into Varian’s hair that Hugo couldn’t hear. </p>
<p>Hugo felt himself being tugged backwards, out of the room. Hugo’s boots scrambled on the wooden floors, kicking up random papers and alchemical supplies that had been thrown around in the chaos. Hugo just caught sight of Donella, unconscious on the floor, before he was quickly forced out of the room. The blond nearly stumbled as Hector roughly shoved him into the hall, gently closing the door behind them as he fixed Hugo with a glare. </p>
<p>“You’re gone.” Hector spat, not flinching as Hugo bristled. </p>
<p>“What? No!” Hugo refused, stalking towards the man. Hector towered over him easily, but Hugo refused to back down. “No, I want to talk to Varian before you take him!” </p>
<p>“That wasn’t part of the agreement.” Hector put a massive hand in the center of Hugo’s chest and roughly pushed him back. Hugo fell to the floor this time, landing on the carpet with an <em>oomph</em>. “We agreed that you’d get us here, and in return we didn’t kill you. We never said we’d let you continue to terrorize our nephew after the fact.”   </p>
<p>“T-terrorize?” Hugo said, flinching back as if he’d been slapped. “I didn’t mean-” </p>
<p>“No. You didn’t <em>mean to</em>, but that doesn’t mean you <em>didn’t</em>.” Hector said. “Let’s <em>review</em>. You encouraged Varian to run away from home, you inadvertently forced him into a situation where he had to use the Moonstone beyond his capabilities. And then? <em>Then</em> when you find out his secret you sold him out to the highest bidder without a second thought. You dragged him here, over the course of a <em>month</em>, while trying to coerce him into a relationship-” </p>
<p>“I did NOT-!” Hugo stuttered at the last point, appalled at the implications, but Hector kept going. </p>
<p>“-and taking advantage of the fact that he’s naive to a lot of things. <em>You</em> are easily the worst thing that has ever happened to Varian.” </p>
<p>Hugo’s world dropped out from under him. He reeled back, scrambling away from Hector like he’d been burned. Hugo only stopped when his back slammed into the wall, the blond curling into himself. </p>
<p>Because Hector was <em>right</em>. </p>
<p>Hugo knew this, on paper. He knew that it was his fault that Varian had gotten so far from the safety of home, knew that he’d made the worst mistake of his life the day he contacted Donella, knew that this whole mess could be traced back to his own shitty decisions, but to hear it laid out so plainly, so succinctly… </p>
<p>It was like a great dam had burst in Hugo’s psyche, and the torrent of floodwaters were pulling him under. </p>
<p><em>Of course</em> Varian wouldn’t want anything to do with him, <em>of course</em> those who cared for Varian would want to keep Hugo away. Varian deserved so much more than what Hugo had given him, <em>could</em> ever give him. Varian was a shining beacon and Hugo? Hugo was the great stupid smog that clouded his glow and choked Varian’s light until it was nothing but a feeble, stuttering thing. </p>
<p>Hugo shakily got to his feet, propping himself up against the wall to keep upright. He- he needed to go. Needed to leave Varian now, before Hugo’s influence could ruin him forever. It broke Hugo’s heart, the thought that Varian would be better off without him, but… </p>
<p>It was for the best. </p>
<p>“You’ll make sure he’s okay?” Hugo finally asked, his voice high and shaky through barely held back tears. He hastily wiped at his face, trying to at least gain a little composure. </p>
<p>“He will be.” Hector said, “No thanks to you.”     </p>
<p>Hugo turned tail and <em>ran</em>.</p>
<p>
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  </strong>
</p>
<p>Varian gripped at Adira’s shirt as she pulled him close, her arms wrapping around him. He felt like a little boy again, curled up in the protective embrace of his aunty. His vision was swimming, shapes and forms that he couldn’t distinguish, the ringing in his ears rattling around his thoughts as his brain swam in the shock of it all. </p>
<p>Adria hugged him closer; he buried his face into her shoulder and let out a whining noise. The smell of her was familiar, soothing his mind with the memory of <em>home</em>. He felt dampness on his cheeks, sniffling pathetically as he hid his face in her embrace. </p>
<p>“You’re okay, Hairstripe.” Adira murmured, patting gently at his hair. “We’re going to get you home, to your dad.” </p>
<p>He <em>hurt</em>. His whole body felt like he’d been crushed, thrown, <em>something</em>. Varian let out a weak little groan as he sat, shuddering against the aches and the pains, his limbs heavy against the pull of gravity. Varian felt tired, wrung out, stretched thin. Everything in him throbbed with a dull pain, as if he were constantly under fire. He clenched his fists a little tighter, but startled when he felt a slight resistance. </p>
<p>There was a cool weight in his hand. Varian looked down to his clenched fist to see the pendant he’d thrown at Hugo, cracked and near shattering but still whole. The liquid within was still there, gently glowing blue as he looked down at it in shock. When had- </p>
<p>The ringing in Varian’s ears finally simmered down, but the silence it left behind was loud in its own way. His vision began to return, but he slammed his eyes closed. Varian heard a door open and close softly and peeked over his aunt’s shoulder to Hector entering the room. Where had he even been- </p>
<p>“We should move.” Hector said, walking over to the pair. He was holding the arm Donella had burned, grimacing against the feeling of it. Whatever had been in that beaker was enough to eat through his armor, and into skin, Varian winced at the thought. </p>
<p>Adira had moved to sit on the table at some point, and Hector joined them on the other side. Varian reached for him too, and Adira let him go so he could hug his uncle just as hard as he’d hugged his aunt. Hector’s arms weren’t as thick as Adria’s, his muscle mass decidedly smaller, but he made up for it in sheer enthusiasm in the hug. He pulled Varian nearly off the table, clutching Varian close to his chest like a priceless treasure. </p>
<p>“Hey kid,” He murmured into Varian’s hair. “Let’s get you home, okay?” </p>
<p><em>Home</em>, oh, home sounded wonderful. His dad, Adira and Hector, Ruddiger, the quiet and calm of safety and- </p>
<p>And isolation. And loneliness. And <em>fear.</em> </p>
<p>No. </p>
<p>No that still wasn’t what he wanted. The farm was important to him, it always would be, but it was also the place Varian had been trying to escape for so long. If Varian went back now, he knew he’d never leave again, and now that he’d seen so many things, barely touched the surface of seeing the world for what it was, met Hugo- </p>
<p>Hugo. </p>
<p>“Where’s Hugo?” Varian croaked out, his voice shot from the involuntary screeching he’d been doing from the pain of Donella’s device. His words were muffled by Hector’s chest, but Varian could still feel both of his guardians stiffen at the question. </p>
<p>“Gone,” Hector said, running a hand up and down Varian’s back. “He ran away.” </p>
<p>“…Gone?” Varian’s voice was quiet. </p>
<p>Hector nodded, his chin rustling Varian’s hair. Varian felt his heart hit the floor, his stomach swooping out from under him. <em>Hugo had run away</em>, just left him here, to be tortured by Donella. If Hector and Adria hadn’t come, then who knows what would have happened? What Donella would have done? </p>
<p>Varian sniffled, pushing away from Hector gently. He was sandwiched between his guardians, the two of them helping him to sit upright on the table he’d been tied to. Varian had been so sure he’d heard Hugo’s voice, in the weird unconsciousness that had taken him when the Moonstone had been ripped from his body. He could have sworn- </p>
<p>Varian shook his head. It had probably been a hallucination, one born from Varian’s own wants and desires. As if Hugo would ever betray Donella for him, would ever speak to him with such care and affection, would ever claim to love him. Varian felt something in him crumble. It had been a new thing, that little piece of his heart he’d been secretly carving out for Hugo, but it quickly crumpled in on itself like a piece of hollow glass. </p>
<p>He shoved the necklace into his pocket, the broken chain following quickly. </p>
<p>Varian felt the starting of tears running down his cheeks, and heard his guardians coo to him, the two of them pressing closer to his sides. “He won’t ever come near you again,” Adira murmured. The thought made Varian cry harder. Hugo had left Varian in the dust, just like Varian knew he would. All this magic bullshit had proven too much, <em>Varian</em> had proven too much, and Hugo had done the sensible thing and left the whole mess behind. Surprising it had taken this long, really. </p>
<p>He felt gentle hands prying at the collar around his neck, the iron of it giving an angry little noise when Adira tried to brute-force the latch at the back of Varian’s neck. “Hm.” She muttered, “We might have to wait until tomorrow to get that off of you, there’s a blacksmith in Corona who can help us.” Varian’s heart sunk at the thought of being stuck in the collar for longer still, but if they could eventually get it off of him, then he guessed he wasn’t in any place to complain. </p>
<p>Hector moved to stand, leaving Varian’s side to face him. “We’ve got to move.” He said again, meeting Adira’s eye. She nodded, standing as well. Varian tried to get to his feet but collapsed, dropping like a stone on weak legs. He let out a small gasp as the floor rushed up to meet him- </p>
<p>Brimstone. Iridescent clouds. The world shifted sideways as Varian slammed his eyes closed, opening them to see the swirling void of stars and smoke. The destroyed lab was gone, Hector and Adira were gone, and Varian was <em>falling</em>. </p>
<p>He saw the usual platform rush up to meet him, and Varian let out a yell of terror as it got closer. He threw his arms up to protect his face, cringing in anticipation. He flinched, expecting to hit the dirt, slamming his eyes shut. He never hit, to his surprise, and cracked his eyes open to find himself hovering about a meter above the stone and only drifting gently down, like a feather. As Varian softly floated to the platform, he put out his arms, catching himself as he landed on his hands and knees. Safe again, the sting of what had just happened came crawling back. Varian let out a little sob, still raw from the revelation that Hugo had abandoned him. </p>
<p>The edge of a white dress entered his vision, and Varian looked up to see the Moonstone. Her pale face was drawn, as if she were just as exhausted as Varian was. </p>
<p>“I am… W̴̡̹͎̼̙͎̞̟̍̎͛̐̃͑͝͝ͅh̷̰̞͕̠̳͆̎͒̂̑̓͒̉̿̈̋̍̚͝ō̷̙͙̖l̷̢̢̧̥̞̘̘̘͎̤̻̖̭̍̇̉̇̆̃͗̓̊̏̀̉́̊̚ͅe̸̢͚͇̱̠̜̗̾̆̾͐͋̋̈́̕͜ͅ again.” She said. “You are no longer my H̷̛̛̦̣̊͑̽̑̒͌͝ơ̶̧̪͍̲̫͍͙̲̻̹̼̯̬̌̃͋͋̏̕ş̵̧͇̬̫̳͚̞̃̔̒̀t̶̢̨̼͉̝͔̤̘̺̝͑̐̊̊̃͜͝, it would seem.” </p>
<p>“So, why am I <em>here</em>?” Varian muttered, raising up to sit on his ankles. He looked up at the Moonstone, who regarded him with a passive interest. </p>
<p>“While you’re no longer my H̷̛̛̦̣̊͑̽̑̒͌͝ơ̶̧̪͍̲̫͍͙̲̻̹̼̯̬̌̃͋͋̏̕ş̵̧͇̬̫̳͚̞̃̔̒̀t̶̢̨̼͉̝͔̤̘̺̝͑̐̊̊̃͜͝, you have become a H̶̨̡̛̩̦̦̰̮̣̹̠̜̻̝͊̓͋͘͜͝ö̷͖̠̰̲́̈́ͅl̴̥̯͚̹͓͎̝̼̫̗̈̓̅d̶̹̭̰̥̘͉̜̥̯̯̫̙̟͖̑̎̔̃̔̕͜ę̴̗̪͖̻̹̥̗̼̤̙̃̾́͜͜ȓ̵̨̗̳̟͚̟̹̦̯͖̱̗͈͌̇̈́̆̊͂͂͘͝ͅ,” She said, crouching down to mimic Varian’s pose. He was smaller than her by a mile, but he still looked her in the eye. She seemed amused, reaching forwards to cup his face. Her thumb traced under one of his eyes, gently wiping away a tear. </p>
<p>“We’re still connected… Why do you cry?” She asked, looking sad. “Did the human boy finally break your heart?” </p>
<p>“Hugo left me.” Varian muttered, closing his eyes against the tears that threatened to spring up again. “He just… <em>Left me</em>. I thought I got through to him, made him see what he was doing was wrong. I thought he was going to help me, but instead he just abandoned me like I didn’t mean <em>anything</em>.” </p>
<p>The tears became too much to bear. Varian buried his face into his hands and sobbed, shoulders shaking as the betrayal washed over him. The Moonstone was silent, but when he peeked through his fingers to her, she was still focused on him. </p>
<p>Her face seemed legitimately sad for him, but Varian was still unnerved by her. She <em>had</em> tried to kill him, not even two weeks ago. His world had been upended so brutally, however, and she was at least familiar. <em>Better the devil you know</em>, Varian thought to himself as he sank into her hold. He began to cry once again, the tears bubbling over and dripping down his cheeks. </p>
<p>“It’s all so messed up,” Varian choked out, “I thought he liked me, I thought… I don’t know, that maybe he might-” </p>
<p>The Moonstone cooed to him, bringing one of her hands up off his face to gently comb through his bangs. She pushed the hair back, tilting his face to look at her. He could barely see through the tears, her face blurring into a mess of black and white blurs. </p>
<p>“This is the Ẇ̴̘̭̖̝͓̹̬̠̰̦̰͑̈͒̕a̸̲̥͋̃̃̃͂̈́͂̍̓̚y̸̢̛̪̓̄̈̀̈́͝ of things, I’m afraid.” She said, locking her unblinking stare with Varian’s. “The human world is cold, and Ḉ̷̧͔̗̘̩͔̘̞̐̿̓͗̐̆͌̂͝r̸̡̛͎̦̰̮̥̣̻͙͛̓͆̂͋̓͋́̚̕ͅú̸̜̙̜̖̯̟̪ė̷͎̫̖̪̈́̚͘͠l̶̫̝̩͚͙̳̺̝̘͆̑́̌̎̍̃̈́͝͠ͅ. They take their joys and crush them, until there is nothing but dust.” </p>
<p>“You’re right.” Varian sobbed, his breaths hitching. “Y-you were <em>always right</em>, and I just never saw it.” </p>
<p>Her face split into a smile, and Varian couldn’t help but feel a pinch of fear in the back of his mind. He pushed it down; the Moonstone may have been an enemy, but for now she was all he had left. “I tried to warn you, my H̶̨̡̛̩̦̦̰̮̣̹̠̜̻̝͊̓͋͘͜͝ö̷͖̠̰̲́̈́ͅl̴̥̯͚̹͓͎̝̼̫̗̈̓̅d̶̹̭̰̥̘͉̜̥̯̯̫̙̟͖̑̎̔̃̔̕͜ę̴̗̪͖̻̹̥̗̼̤̙̃̾́͜͜ȓ̵̨̗̳̟͚̟̹̦̯͖̱̗͈͌̇̈́̆̊͂͂͘͝ͅ” She murmured, tugging idly on Varian’s hair. “You can’t say I didn’t.” </p>
<p>“I just didn’t want to see it.” Varian wailed. “I should have just stayed on that <em>stupid</em> farm, what was I even thinking-” </p>
<p>“You felt W̵̪̖̹̙̝͖̤̺̊̊͆͐̿r̶͙̉̏̈ơ̷̡̖̫̗̠̭̬̗̳͈̏͛͆͛͋̾̚͝ņ̸̛̛͔̩̥̫̥̦͖̃̎̐̈́̂̚͘ḡ̸̡͚͕̗͙̝̫̹̺̾͆̏̅͊̃̔̎͑̔ͅͅḙ̴̺̣͓̟̭̭̠̙̼̬̺̺͆̊͂̏͊͂̉̋͐̄͘̚͝d̸̼̰̎̔̎̓̌̋͛͂̄͛͋̈͊͛,” The Moonstone said, “And I wanted you to find the S̸̢̻̭͙͚̯͓̹͈̈̐́͆ù̸̜̭̼͔̹̋̅̔͑̂͝n̸̨̛̹̩̭̼̱̮͇̱̩̊͑̽̅̌̾̅̿̑̄̍̕̕͝ͅḏ̷̥̳r̴̝̈́͒̑̌̕͝͝ǫ̴̛̥͖̮͉͇̭̪̪̪̣̠̠̐͒͐̏͗p̴̢̨̛̛͕̭̗͗͐͛̇̆͆͛.” </p>
<p>“I- I did.” Varian finally murmured. “I wanted to prove myself and all I did was mess everything up.” </p>
<p>The Moonstone cooed to him again, cupping his face with her hands once more. “So much P̶̡̌̍͆a̵̫͓̣̘͔͓͕̭̠̩̯̭͉͕̻̋͊͑̚͝͠i̵͎̫̻̰̺̪̯̤̰̗̣͋̎̈̇͐͆̉͌̏̒̈́͝͠n̵̡̢̩͕̠̺̩̞̤̰̣̳͍͙͚̉͊̆̉̈́͗̐̐͑̾,” She said sadly, “So much Ś̵͖͕͔̩͓̝͕̓̏̀̈́̐̃̈́͊o̷̧̲̠͓̹̬̮̺̻̩̰̰̯͎̎͛͜r̵̡̛̪̭̱͚̤̘̀͑̌̔͋̿̅̋̊́̇͛͝ŗ̷̧̳͎͓̼̳̈́̌͌̓͐̍̀̅ơ̷̳͓͔̥̳̖͙͓̲͈̫̟̗͓̑̿̆̅͐̄̕w̶̛̥̮͒̂̃̾̉̎̏̾̂ͅ for one so young. You have been wronged, my H̶̨̡̛̩̦̦̰̮̣̹̠̜̻̝͊̓͋͘͜͝ö̷͖̠̰̲́̈́ͅl̴̥̯͚̹͓͎̝̼̫̗̈̓̅d̶̹̭̰̥̘͉̜̥̯̯̫̙̟͖̑̎̔̃̔̕͜ę̴̗̪͖̻̹̥̗̼̤̙̃̾́͜͜ȓ̵̨̗̳̟͚̟̹̦̯͖̱̗͈͌̇̈́̆̊͂͂͘͝ͅ, by those around you.”</p>
<p>“I was.” Varian agreed. “I just. I want things to go back to how they were before, when things weren’t so complicated-” </p>
<p>“You wish to see an E̸̬̱̗͋͆q̵͔͖̖̤̳̘̤͑̋͝ų̶̗̲̩̫̜̂̒͑ï̵̥͚͔̠̺̖̽̓̋̂̂l̷̡͕͍̭͈̺̞̖̠͉̯͍̙͒i̴̼̘̜͎͎̯̰͔̳͎̭͋͑̇̌̀̈́̈́̍̕͘͝ͅb̵͔̭̙̈̑͑̆̒͛͋̏̌ṛ̵̛̺̫̯̖̪̹̗̖̺̥̦̳͖̇͛̓̾̀̾̑̚ͅį̸̗̩̖̯͎̲̗̤̰͈̜̓̍̃̌̐͠ṷ̸͔̯̠̥̤̟̩͈̰̭́̏͋̅̍̈́̾̏̽̔̓̄̈́̇̋͜͜m̴͇̜̠͕̯̩̓͗̈̀̍̓́̕̕̕͠͝ ̴̢̼͚̯͙̼̼̟͙̪̌̂̔̽̅̓̆̃” The Moonstone said softly. “I can H̸̢̜̥̯̗̭̺̰̜͑̋͂̋̋̈́̊́̕ȩ̶̼̫̝̗̤̝͍͎̗͎͍̼̿̈̈̑͛̒͂͑͐ļ̶͕̫̣̬̥̣̂p̵̡̧̫͎͉̮̱̅̏̌͛͌̎̍̂̓͆̇̚͜͠ͅ.” </p>
<p>Varian looked at her with wide eyes, bringing a hand to one of her wrists. The aches in his body from the past week were gone, he noticed. The dreams were removed from reality enough that he supposed it was the Moonstone’s doing. </p>
<p>“You can?” He asked her, breathing the words into the silence of her domain. Her face split into a smile, just this side of too sharp. </p>
<p>“I can.” She nodded. “Give me Ĉ̴̨̧̛̲͚͍͇̬͙̹͍͈̬̰͈̎̉́͑̊͊̑̍͒̏͝ơ̶̛̛̭̯͇̦̳̘͇̇̊͊̍͌ņ̵͇̜͇̠̳̗̪̭̣͔͍̀͆̈́̓̐ͅt̵̞͙̊͋̊̇̕r̸̰̮͂̍̐͋̎̀̾̈́̊͝͠͝ö̶̝͚̝͉͔͙̲́́̾̓̄̓͒̀͒͊̋̈͘ļ̴̰͕̗̮̾̔̄̉̉̄̏̚, and I can make it all go away. The suffering, the loneliness. All of it, gone. Just let me Ḯ̵̧̧͙̰̰̜̙̲͚̹̿́͛̀̊̕͘͘͠n̶̯̦̗̪͔̣̣̭͇̤̬̞̘̙̉̎͆̔̑͜͠.” </p>
<p>Varian paused, the gears in his head turning. If he let her in, let her take the reins, what would she do? Where would he end up, once pushed under the swelling waves that were the Moonstone’s powers? Would she ever let him back up? What of his family, what of Hugo- </p>
<p>Varian cringed at the name. It was obvious that Hugo never cared. Hector and Adria would be taking him back to the farm where he’d be kept under lock and key for the rest of his life. Maybe it was time to just slip off to somewhere different, let someone else deal with the absolute mess his life had become. </p>
<p>Maybe it was better to just <em>sleep</em>. </p>
<p>Varian looked at the Moonstone through the tears, debating. If he did this, there was no guarantee he’d ever see the light of day again. But really, did he even want that anymore? It was obvious that the world had chewed him up and spat him out again without a second thought; what loyalty did he have to it? What purpose did it even serve, to him? </p>
<p>Varian looked the Moonstone in the eye, taking both of her hands in his. She looked at him with that same shark’s grin she always had, even as Varian brought their hands together between them, and gently sighed. </p>
<p>“Okay.” He said, his tone soft and defeated. “You can take over. I’m done.” </p>
<p>The Moonstone’s grin widened, splitting her face in twain. </p>
<p>“Ę̶̨͕͔̩̳̞̺͔͇̥͖̭̔̓͐͗̍̉͆̈́̔x̷̧̛͚̣̻͕̹͉̠̫̹͕̺̼͑̐̍͊c̴̙͈̝̙̣͍̗͇̏̒̂̿͒̆͒͋̓̉͘̚͘͜͝é̷̢̙̩͖͍̜̳̪͖̗̮̾̇̊̋̽̊̈́̐͗͒l̵̛̛̺̀̈́̈̈͊̋̈͝ļ̸̛͚̣͙̝̺̤̼͍̤̱͊̂̓̈̔͐͌͌͘ȩ̸̧̛͇͙̖̼̥̭̖̮̺̖̼͋͛̇͊͂͋͋͑͐̅̚̕ͅn̵̠̬̘̦̺͙͈̯̳͖̞͖̲̄̎̂̊͐̓̒̈͘͜t̸̡̘͍̳̠̰̜͉̺̩͕̽̂̒̒̐̔̂̎͜” She purred. </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>It had been a millennium since the Moonstone had last fully possessed a body like this. When she opened his eyes for the first time, she saw her beloved cosmos. The Moonstone stopped to notice that the stars seemed so <em>bland</em> to the human eye. They didn’t see the cosmos as she did. Her human Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ was small, even for a member of his species. She unsteadily forced the body to its feet, stumbling like a fresh colt in spring. </p>
<p>She eventually got the legs under her, steadying herself. She was in a forest, standing upon a bedroll of some kind. Two humans, ones she remembered being relations of her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ lay nearby, sleeping soundly. She took a deep breath, grounding herself and allowing the smells of pine and earth to envelop her. </p>
<p>Her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ was truly a gullible child, but it worked to her advantage. She felt him stir slightly at the back of her mind, but she pushed him back down. Best to keep him asleep until she could find the Ş̷̬̗̼͙̩̲̹̺̼̖̫̐͐u̶̜̖̫̙̩̱̹͎̣̞̮̽̅͆̂̌̚̚ͅṅ̸̨͈̟͙̊̐͑̍͂̾̏͛̐̍͝͝d̷̝̪̰̩̟̟̩̻̺̝̻̮̃͐r̴̡̠̺͈̞͎͒̇̀͠o̸̜̰̮̞͗͑̕p̴̧͎͎͉̟͉̗̳͔̼͔̙͎̞̖̄͐̏̈̌̀̓̉̌. When she’d last claimed his body as her own, he hadn’t been expecting it, and she had ripped control from him. It had been foolish, in retrospect, to try and murder the boy the minute she stole control from him. </p>
<p>She had been impatient then, but now it was no matter. He was hers, now. </p>
<p>She stepped over the prone forms of her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃’s guardians, their campfire dying as she got closer. Under her bare feet the grass wilted, shriveling and turning black in a perfect circle around where her… his…<em>her</em> feet landed. It may be her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃’s body, but she was in charge for now. </p>
<p>She heard a chittering, curious noise and looked down to see her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃’s little pet. The raccoon was looking at her in curiosity, unsure as to why his human was acting so strange. She brought a hand up, trapping it in a cage of her black rocks. It let out a small screech of fear, cowering in a ball as it looked at her in horror. </p>
<p>The Moonstone grinned, tilting her face up to the sky. The blue hair of her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ gently swayed in a breeze that didn’t exist, and she flexed her fingers experimentally. The boy was weak, physically, but with her mastery of her power they could make up for it. </p>
<p>Near her foot was a small pack of items, ones she recognized as belonging to her host. Sticking out the top was a small blade, barely something that could be called a knife. The Moonstone scooped it up, flipping it in her host’s hand idly. It was small, rather pathetic, but it might come in handy until she could find a weapon fitting of her stature. The knife slipped into the belt of her host easily, like it belonged there. She smiled; it would be the first of many fun things collected now that she had control at long last.           </p>
<p>She left the clearing, leaving a trail of decaying footprints behind her. The grass died under her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃’s feet, a trail of rot left in her wake. The forest went eerily silent around her, insects and animals scrambling away from her presence. She moved through the forest, slowly adapting to the new body now that she was in control. </p>
<p>She had so much Ẉ̸̀̇̃̑͑̓̽̑̈́͘͜͠͝o̴̬̊̚ŗ̴͔̯̱̀́̓̐̋̆̅̓̆͌̏͘͘k̶̛͚͕̝͓͍͉̒́̅̂̿͊̈́͆̎͋̓̇͘̕ to do. </p>
<p>She wandered for almost an hour, listening to the siren’s call of the Ş̷̬̗̼͙̩̲̹̺̼̖̫̐͐u̶̜̖̫̙̩̱̹͎̣̞̮̽̅͆̂̌̚̚ͅṅ̸̨͈̟͙̊̐͑̍͂̾̏͛̐̍͝͝d̷̝̪̰̩̟̟̩̻̺̝̻̮̃͐r̴̡̠̺͈̞͎͒̇̀͠o̸̜̰̮̞͗͑̕p̴̧͎͎͉̟͉̗̳͔̼͔̙͎̞̖̄͐̏̈̌̀̓̉̌, following it towards a city situated on an island. The Moonstone knew the Ş̷̬̗̼͙̩̲̹̺̼̖̫̐͐u̶̜̖̫̙̩̱̹͎̣̞̮̽̅͆̂̌̚̚ͅṅ̸̨͈̟͙̊̐͑̍͂̾̏͛̐̍͝͝d̷̝̪̰̩̟̟̩̻̺̝̻̮̃͐r̴̡̠̺͈̞͎͒̇̀͠o̸̜̰̮̞͗͑̕p̴̧͎͎͉̟͉̗̳͔̼͔̙͎̞̖̄͐̏̈̌̀̓̉̌ was there, in hiding in the body of a Princess, just as the Moonstone had been in the boy she currently possessed. It would be easy to draw the human Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ out, all she would need was a proper target. </p>
<p>The Moonstone looked around at the clearing she had found herself in. It was full of rubble from some kind of structure, chunks of stone and wood covered in chipping, peeling paint. The whole clearing reeked of the energy of the Ş̷̬̗̼͙̩̲̹̺̼̖̫̐͐u̶̜̖̫̙̩̱̹͎̣̞̮̽̅͆̂̌̚̚ͅṅ̸̨͈̟͙̊̐͑̍͂̾̏͛̐̍͝͝d̷̝̪̰̩̟̟̩̻̺̝̻̮̃͐r̴̡̠̺͈̞͎͒̇̀͠o̸̜̰̮̞͗͑̕p̴̧͎͎͉̟͉̗̳͔̼͔̙͎̞̖̄͐̏̈̌̀̓̉̌, but the Moonstone knew it was here no longer. </p>
<p>Where else should they build their stronghold, if not for somewhere so permeated by the Ş̷̬̗̼͙̩̲̹̺̼̖̫̐͐u̶̜̖̫̙̩̱̹͎̣̞̮̽̅͆̂̌̚̚ͅṅ̸̨͈̟͙̊̐͑̍͂̾̏͛̐̍͝͝d̷̝̪̰̩̟̟̩̻̺̝̻̮̃͐r̴̡̠̺͈̞͎͒̇̀͠o̸̜̰̮̞͗͑̕p̴̧͎͎͉̟͉̗̳͔̼͔̙͎̞̖̄͐̏̈̌̀̓̉̌’s energy? </p>
<p>The Moonstone’s mouth split into a grin. The boy’s face was so unlike her own, bound by muscle and skin, his teeth dull and flattened. Humans were such curious creatures, in her opinion, such fun to toy with. She felt the boy’s consciousness move again in the divots between her thoughts and pushed him down again. It seemed even after giving in to her will he was restless, gently pushing at the bind’s she’d put him in.</p>
<p><em>Bothersome</em>. </p>
<p>Once he was settled once again, she brought up his hand and began to sing. </p>
<p>“C̶̥̙͉̯͔͇͊͌̋̓̃̕͘͘͘͝ͅŗ̷̛̮͍̯̞̖̟͓͈̮̹̹͍̂̄̊̌̂̒̈́̔̓̊̔̚̕e̸͔͚̲͇̼̖̩̹͓͑̎͛̓ṣ̶̨̯̂̓̀̿̔c̴͎͉̹͕̗̥̘̮̤̔̅è̷̙̮̀̈́͌̔̚ṅ̸̢̫̺͈̼̥̓͊̎̇͌̑̊͌̿͝͠ţ̷̺̩̘̱̦͇͕̖̳͇̹̜͍͆̈̑͘͝͝ high above,” The boy’s voice was layered with her own, echoing through the quiet of the glen. She reached deep into the well of her powers, feeling her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ begin to panic again as she used her power. </p>
<p>“Evolving as you G̶̢̛͈̻̮̩̮̭̞̹͗͑̽̽͝o̸̡̢̩̝͕͎̫̤̠̦͔̔̌̋̈̇̋̒͒͘,” The earth beneath her feet began to rumble with power. The first of many black rocks began to punch through the ground, raising higher and higher into the sky as her vision began to take shape. He Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃’s hair began to raise, floating upwards as the power resonated through like the sweetest of symphonies. Her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ seemed to panic now, but he was silenced with a grit of her teeth. She’d waited eons for this, spent so long getting the boy under her thumb. His little rebellion was over. </p>
<p>They had so many things to do together, after all.   </p>
<p>“Raise what lies B̴̢̛̠͓̼͙͕̙̹̠͕͙̞̖̤͌͑͊͊̂̽̅̽͆͘͝e̸̡̧̘̱͙̦͕̮̲̤͊̀̅̕͜n̵͍͈̤̟̠̞͍̥̬̓͂͌̓̽̋̋̈́̀̉̄̉̋̕͜ͅe̷̢̧͙̪̳̹̤̖̺̦̰̙͔̭͐̉̀̚ͅä̵͕͉̬̮̙̖̠̗͔̯̣́͆̉̊̒̿t̴̨̳̜͍̫̬̜̝͈͑̿̂͋̑̏̐̾̉͊͛͘͘ͅh̵̥̥̱̱̳̖̙̀̒̊̏͑͋̒͘,” The rocks glowed the same ethereal blue as their hair, building up into a tall structure, scraping the sky with its tall spires. </p>
<p>“And let the darkness Ğ̷̱̞̲͓͚̗̘̳̩̈́̊̒̿̀͌̈́̃̇̂̓͒͝͝r̵̭͓̙͙̖̟͇̱͇͉̄͐̔̓̌̓͌͝͠͠ǫ̸̢̛̗̬̺͛̿̊̎̊͂̒͑̽͆̚͠w̴̡̢͚̩̼͖̫͚̳̘͂͒.” She finished, looking up at her finished tower with a shark’s smile. With a gesture of her clenched fist the last of the rocks finished into the walls of her new fortress, the thing punching a hole in the sky. Now<em> this</em> was a proper target to draw the Ş̷̬̗̼͙̩̲̹̺̼̖̫̐͐u̶̜̖̫̙̩̱̹͎̣̞̮̽̅͆̂̌̚̚ͅṅ̸̨͈̟͙̊̐͑̍͂̾̏͛̐̍͝͝d̷̝̪̰̩̟̟̩̻̺̝̻̮̃͐r̴̡̠̺͈̞͎͒̇̀͠o̸̜̰̮̞͗͑̕p̴̧͎͎͉̟͉̗̳͔̼͔̙͎̞̖̄͐̏̈̌̀̓̉̌ to them, she was willing to say with confidence. </p>
<p>It was all a matter of patience. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“L̷̡̧̢͓̮̤̞̱̯͙̟͖͕͇̜̝̣̰̬̟̯̳͙̗̫͓̯̲͈͕̿̂͂̆̏̉̅́͑̏̈́̆̏̀͒̋̈́̐̒̌̌́͊̌͌̎̑͗̽͐͋͌͌͑͑̚͘͝͝ę̷̱͈̟̘͇͓̬̱̲̤̤͖͎͈̲̑̒͊͊̃̅̐̾̈́̿͒͒͑͂͂̂̓͐͗́̆͛͒͋̈́̈̍̈́̓̃̚̚̕̕̕̚͝͝͝ț̵̛̥̪̠͖̝̯͔̰̲̦̘̼͙̲̗͊̋̌̂̆̓̈́̆̎̒̅̇̋͋̿͒͒͗̅́̆͋̄̈̔͗̑̿́̍̑̍̈́̏͂̒͒̓͋̐̐̿̌̓͆̕͘͝ ̶̨̧̡̧̧̢̡̧̛̱̺̪̠̻̲̻͚̠̩̳̜̪͉͍̯͓̟͕͍̝̝̟̥͉̮̮̳̖̻͎̼̙͇̰̮̤̝͑̆̈́̾̅̄̾̐̆͑͒̈̌̓̎́͋̃́͐̈́͂̓̀̿̐̿̈́͑̽̀̎̊́̉̏̏͜͝͝͝͠͝T̷̨̨̝̝̝͚̪̳͔̩̲̩̞̩̭̫͇̼͈̲̦̲̘́̌̽͜͝ḩ̶̧̧̡̡̡̛͍̠̳̖̞̳̩̱͈̖͓̬̥̩̠͉̦̦̜̣̰̜̥͇͗̇̐̂̐͆̽̄̂̈̆͌̎̅͜͝ę̷̧̥͎͔̙̪̭̩͖͕̳͔͕̘̮̠̔̀̃̐̉͆̓̓̀͐̐̇̏̑̆̉͊́̕̕̚͘̕͝͠͝͠ ̴̨̡͚̭͕̙̙͕͉͚̠̼̼̦̙͎͍̦̪̬̝̪̹̉̂͂͛̐̐͗̅͒͐̐̒͗̏̑́́̔̿̏͊̔̾̇̂̑̓̆́̽̏͘͜͝Ḑ̷̡̖̮̟̺̪̭̳̮͉͚̮̥͙͉̜̜͍͈͙͍̜͕̦̼̝̒̽̊̈́̉̈́̇̊̏̚a̸̧̢̤̱̠͕̰͕̞̟͉̝̞͎͕͍͎̭̹͖͔̺̞̳͖̦̗͇̖̺̘͍̮̜͈̯͕̓̾̌̽̊̂̕͜͝r̷̢̢̨̢̧̡̡̤͚̰͉̜̖̹̬̱̗͖̖̻̯̯͖̠͖̝̝̫͖̠͔̻͈̥̖͖̺̘͈͕̘̤̥͔̫͍̅̂͜͜ķ̷̢̢̢̛̛͕̩̙̼̗̪̜͓͙̝̼͔͔̟̬̯̯̹͇̖̬͍̠̿͒̏̋̐̅͋̈̃̍͛̎̑̏́́͌͊̾̄͐̀̎̇͆͆̒̂̂̒̂̑̀̔͊̋͛̈̇͛͘͘̚̚͝͠͝n̷̨̧̧̢̧̡̢̙̟̜̰͈̼̜̲͈̥͚̜͈͚̙̬̺̥̩͙̬̳̫̞̦͔͙̝̱̖̤̘̜͔̋̓̈́͒̓̽̋̈̑̍͘e̴̡̧̡̜̤̘̻̹̘̮̹̐̓̓̀̃̓̈̈́̉̌͌̾̓̏̔͘͠s̸̛̛̯̟̪̉͌̐̍̀̃̈́̒̂̓͊͋̇͌̀͗̀̓̍̈́̆̍͒͌͒͌̓̆̓̾̃̈̒̈́͘̕̕̚̕͠͝͝ͅş̶̛̮̙̞̩͇͔̞̬̮͙͓̹̠̩͓̲͕̱̲͔̘̲̲͕̟͍̱̪͚̣̖͓̗͎̪̳̊̿̑̈́̉͌̎̋̄̇̾̄̔͆̐̐̓͌̄̾̇͠͝ͅ ̴̡̧̢̡̛̦̮̺͓̯̙̱͚̩͙͕̳͔͇̹͙̰̤̥͉̩̯̙͙̬̱̲̦̦̩̼̝͗̊̒̌̇̂͆̅̓͋̈́͗̂̈́̌̋̈́͊͆͐͒̑̔̽̾͗̿̋͑̈̿͆̽̈́̿͊͐͂́̆͐̃͑̕͘͝͝ͅĢ̷̡̢̢̡̛̲̺͙͖͖̻̠͇̘̥̲̘͍̠̪̰̪̯͕̟̼̩̤̰͈͍̗̤͉̩̺̥̖͕͕̠͈̞̥̟̰̜̘͚̃̽͑̄͠ŗ̷̨̡̡̧̡͍̻͖̩̺͈̻̼̟̯̗̰͓͎̟͚̺̼̥͕̯͖̦̩̪̥̼̬͙͍̘͆͋̇̈́͜͝ơ̶̡̢̡̛̪̟̟͈̦̗͇͚͉̟̤͔̽̆̔̇̿̓͊̾͌̉̓̾̆͑́̃̂́͑̋̾̊̉͊͂̄͂̔̓͆͋̂͌̔̏͘͜w̶̳̥̮͔̟̜͖̙̬̐̔̆͌̕”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tower was finished, the pieces finally in motion. The Moonstone grinned, tearing a hole in one of the walls with a wave of her hand. She encouraged the black rocks up the body of her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃, creating armor made of the invulnerable material. The boy was… fragile, unfortunately. No matter, so long as she played her cards right. With a grunt she sharpened the pointer finger of the armor’s gauntlet into a claw, bringing it up and gently sliding the rock between the delicate throat of her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ and the iron collar surrounding it. </p>
<p>With a small tug she sliced the claw through the metal of the collar, cutting through it like it was made of paper. Her host pushed a sense of panic at the claw being so close to his jugular. She had half a mind to do it, a quick slice just to <em>shut him up</em>, but instead she moved her hand to the other side of the collar. All it would take was one little slip- </p>
<p>No. No if she killed him now, she would have to wait for another to come along. It would be best to keep the human she had until she was finished with her task. With a small grin she sliced through the metal on the other side like butter, the collar immediately falling from her neck. She smiled, kicking one half of the shock collar away. Her Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ was pleased by that, even as she turned back to the door in front of her. The Moonstone walked forwards, into the depths of her new fortress, idly raising a hand behind her it a waving gesture. </p>
<p>With a great <em>slam</em> the wall lifted back up, sealing her away into the shadows.</p>
<p> </p>
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</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hahaha oops, did you think we were done yet? Oh no, darlings, we're only getting started! <br/>And we have more art!! <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jjgg_art/">jjgg_art</a> drew these absolutely AMAZING scenes from last week, and <i>god</i> I've been staring at them for the last week with nothing but heart eyes!!!   </p>
<p>ALSO!! A super quick warning, but next week's going to be a <b>DOUBLE UPDATE</b>, meaning that as of one week today Dear Fellow Traveller is going to be over!! D: Get yo snacks kids, next week's gunna be a big one!!! </p>
<p>Thanks for reading, fellas!! See you next week!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Tonight, I Still Dream of You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Moonstone makes her play. The boys dig their heels in. </p><p>Things come to a head.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we go kids!! Part one of the <b>two part update!</b> Final chapter's going up as we speak, so make sure to read em both if you're so inclined! </p><p>Also another reminder that <b>THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES GIFS</b> meaning the same glitchy one from last chapter and one other that's similar but a little more "flashy." Again, if that will make problems for anyone, please tell me and I'll be happy to upload a non-gif version of the chapter! </p><p>See you in Chapter 12! Big dumb finale time haha</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hugo was pretty goddamn lost, if he were honest with himself. He’d run as far as his feet could take him, bolting into the woods like an absolute <em>idiot</em>. He’d sprinted until his lungs burned and his legs were jelly, as if Hugo could outrun his mistakes if he just went fast enough. It had been hours since he’d left Donella’s mansion; the night had nearly given away to morning.</p><p> </p><p>And now he was lost.</p><p> </p><p>The blond let out a grunt as he tripped over a branch, stumbling before shaking his aching foot. He kept walking towards where he <em>thought</em> the Capital was; if he could at least hit the city then he might be able to ditch out of Corona before Donella thought to look for him. Hugo had the sneaking suspicion that if his mentor ever saw him again, he’d be dead before he could get a word in edgewise, but at the end of the day, Hugo didn’t have any regrets. He’d betrayed Donella, left her in the ruins of that old, crumbling mansion. He’d abandoned everything they’d built together, all for a pair of baby blue eyes.</p><p> </p><p>It was worth it. That last view of Varian was worth <em>anything</em>, seeing him alive and safe was more than enough for the price Hugo had paid. Hugo was willing to throw himself under the axe to undo his mistakes, and the thought was terrifying… to be so wrapped up in someone else that his own wellbeing became secondary. Hugo couldn’t find it within himself to care; he was so deep into his own devotion that there was no way for him to climb out even if he wanted to.</p><p> </p><p>Besides, Varian was probably long gone by now, whisked away to some isolated place where Hugo would never find him. The blond had half a mind to make a break for Carleone… maybe he could cut them off so he could have one last talk with Varian. What he wouldn’t give to hear that laugh one more time, see that smile-</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Hugo</em>.” An angry voice rang through the forest.</p><p> </p><p>The blond whipped around to see Donella, beat to absolute hell. She leaned up against a large oak tree, blood rolling down her face. She scowled when she saw him, limping forwards.</p><p> </p><p>“What the <em>hell</em> was that?!” Donella snapped, hands like claws. Her white braid was a mess, hair tangled in a matted mop, the colour stained by the crimson coming from a wound buried somewhere on her head. Hugo found himself moving towards her without thinking, his hand moving to catch her as she stumbled.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>What the hell was that</em>?” She hissed again, shoving him away with a glare. “We almost had it, you little <em>cretin</em>!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo flinched, backing up as his mentor tried to swipe at him; Donella seemed unable to leave the support of the tree unless she wanted to collapse to the forest floor. Fighting Hector and Adria had taken it out of her, it seemed, but there was venom in her glare… an anger Hugo had never seen before as she grit her teeth and tried once more to claw at him.</p><p> </p><p>“By the Maker, Hugo, why did you choose <em>now</em> to grow a conscious? Do you have <em>any</em> idea what you’ve done-”</p><p> </p><p>“I did the right thing!” Hugo snapped back, shifting a little so his stance was stronger. His heels dug into the dirt underneath him, Hugo’s body tensing as he balled his fists. “You <em>hurt</em> Varian, and he didn’t deserve any of it-”</p><p> </p><p>“What does it matter!?” Oh, Donella was <em>angry</em>. Her body was tight as a bowstring, even as she clung to the tree to keep herself upright. “So what if he didn’t <em>deserve it, </em>we were going to be rich! I raised you to be smarter than this-”</p><p> </p><p>“You raised me to be <em>selfish</em>!” Hugo finally screamed, stepping forwards. Donella took a step back in surprise, nearly falling. “You raised me to- to be <em>cruel</em>, and vicious, and- <em>shit</em>, Don, you raised me to be just as awful as you are!”</p><p> </p><p>Donella looked like she’d be slapped.</p><p> </p><p>“And you know what the worst part was?!” Hugo wasn’t done, “I thought you were right! I thought that if I were smart enough, crafty enough, <em>heinous</em> enough, that maybe I’d finally feel like I amounted to something! For so long, I thought if I just followed you then maybe I’d finally make something of myself!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo stalked forwards, pushing into Donella’s personal space. She refused to back down, but it was obvious from the expression on her face that she hadn’t been expecting this kind of behaviour from Hugo. He was shorter than her, but the venom in his eye did more than enough to make up the gap.</p><p> </p><p>“But guess what?” Hugo’s voice was quiet, ringing through the early morning air. “I figured it out, <em>Donella</em>. I figured out what would actually make me happy, and it has <em>nothing</em> to do with you.”</p><p> </p><p>Her face was angry, but… Hugo could see the hurt in her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I see.” She said, standing up a little straighter. “And you thought you could just turn around and try and go back on what you did? And what then, Hugo? Did you <em>really</em> think your little toy would just jump back into your arms like nothing happened? Like you hadn’t betrayed him? <em>Grow up</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“He doesn’t need to forgive me!” Hugo snapped, turning his head to avoid her gaze. “He won’t, <em>ever</em>, and that’s <em>fine</em>! Because as long as he’s safe- <em>far away from people like you-</em>” His head snapped back to Donella with a glare, “-then that’s all I ask for.”</p><p> </p><p>Donella paused for a second, her hand clenching into a fist around the bark of the tree she leaned against. Hugo could see a myriad of emotions fly across her face, rage, confusion, back to anger for a second, before it finally settled into something bitter. Hugo flinched at the expression, but refused to back down. Donella’s face wasn’t quite a sneer, but it was close. </p><p> </p><p>“Is that your final choice?” She asked him. Hugo felt something twist in his stomach; her tone was ice cold. He forced his head into a nod, not trusting his voice as Donella stood up a little straighter. There was a beat of silence between them, neither of them willing to back down, even if it hurt. Donella’s hand clenched into the bark of the tree she was leaning against, nearly tearing into the tree from the force of it.</p><p> </p><p>“How <em>disappointing</em>.” Was all she said, and Hugo felt a piece of himself shatter. Donella was looking at him with an indifference she never had before, her eyes almost sad. “If you’re sure, then.”</p><p> </p><p>“I-I’m sure.” Hugo said, voice cracking. Donella didn’t seem convinced. She pushed off the tree and began to leave, only stopping once to look over her shoulder.  </p><p> </p><p>“When your boy-toy rightfully abandons you, don’t come crying to me.” She said, green eyes boring into Hugo’s. The blond backed away, his hands clenched so tight he could feel his nails through his gloves. Donella’s face was resigned, as if she’d seen this coming, but hadn’t wanted to admit it. She opened her mouth, like she wanted to say something else, but snapped it close with a <em>click</em> of her teeth. The white-haired woman fully turned around, standing tall as she limped away.</p><p> </p><p>And then she was gone, swallowed by the forest.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let out a pained noise, shoving his glasses up onto his head so he could rub the stubborn tears from his eyes. He knew it was coming, knew Donella didn’t care for traitors, but it stung to see her finally give up on him. Hugo had made his bed, now he was forced to lie in it. Varian was gone, and Donella had abandoned him for good this time…</p><p> </p><p>Hugo, for the first time in an exceptionally long while, was completely alone.</p><p> </p><p>The blond let out a yell of frustration, rubbing at his eyes in a desperate attempt to stay the tears. He didn’t deserve to cry about this; he was the one who’d dug this grave, he shouldn’t be allowed to whine over the fact that now he had to die in it-</p><p> </p><p>The ground below him began to rumble.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was forced to grab a nearby tree trunk to stay upright, the earthquake rattling the world to its very core. Branches and leaves fell from the trees, covering the thin path Hugo was on. Animals scurried over the obstacles in their frantic dash to escape. It was a brief earthquake, but still violent enough to topple multiple trees. The world finally settled after a few agonizing minutes, the forest looking worse for wear after the sudden shaking. Hugo looked skywards, following the path of a flock of birds as they scattered out of the trees, and saw something… <em>concerning</em>.</p><p> </p><p>A great black spire was rising out of the earth maybe a half mile away from Hugo, glowing the same blue that Hugo was almost intimately familiar with by now. It looked like a needle poking through the fabric of the sky, punching a hole in the early morning sunrise.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian?” Hugo’s question rang in the sudden silence following the tremors. There wasn’t a snowflake’s chance in hell that Varian’s guardians would let him perform such an obvious display of magic, especially not after just barely escaping with the boy alive at all. And so close to the Coronian capital city?</p><p> </p><p>Something was <em>very </em>wrong.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was running before he could think, sprinting for the tower as it continued to grow taller in the distance. Something was off; Varian was either in trouble or had gone of the deep end, and Hugo was willing to bet it wasn’t the latter. Hugo nearly tripped over a branch, vaulting over fallen trees as he dashed through the woods. His legs were on fire, the exhaustion from running from Donella’s mansion catching up with him; Hugo’s lungs screamed for air he couldn’t give them. His face stung when a thin branch slapped his cheek, slicing through his skin without resistance, but he didn’t stop. If Varian were in trouble, Hugo would do his damnedest to pull him out of it, even if Varian never wanted to see him again afterwards.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo owed that to him, at the very least.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo skid to a stop once he reached a clearing at the base of the tower, gasping for breath as he finally got a chance to take a look at what exactly Varian had been building. A large, spiked fortress had grown from the ground, huge and imposing and <em>dark</em> now that its blue lights had dimmed. Hugo approached the base cautiously, noting that the tower didn’t even seem to have a door. He peeked around a bit, trying to find anything to indicate where Varian had gone. The sides were perfectly smooth, no doors, no windows, just solid obsidian walls that looked to be at least a foot thick. Hugo cautiously raised a hand up, touching his fingers to the cool stone. The sun was only just starting to peek over the horizon, really showing the great fortress that Varian had built. It was towering, jagged and harsh, like a wound cut across the sky. The rocks beneath Hugo’s fingers pulsed with the same kind of energy as Hugo had felt previously, during the chaos of Donella’s lab. The rhythm of it was strange, but constant; steady and rhythmic, it felt like a heartbeat, like the fortress was a living thing, an extension of the Moonstone.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was startled by a frantic yell in the distance, recognizing Hector’s voice. Hugo snuck a glance around the corner of a rock, seeing Hector trying to brute force his way into the tower, slicing at the stone wall with his sword as Adira watched him with a frustrated expression. They both looked stressed, like they’d woken up in a panic. Adira didn’t even have her face paint on, her hair had come loose from its braid in multiple places. Hector looked just as feral as he always did, but he was missing parts of his armor. Hugo could see travel packs haphazardly thrown to the side of the clearing- it really did look like they’d run for the tower the second they’d seen it, just like Hugo had.</p><p> </p><p>“It won’t <em>break</em>!” Hector yelled, bashing his sword against the wall once again. Adira paced like a cat, inspecting the wall for any sort of cracks or weaknesses. Ruddiger swirled around her feet, frantically chittering despite the woman ignoring him.</p><p> </p><p>“Try again.” She spat, “Varian’s in there.”</p><p> </p><p>“You think I don’t know that?” Hector griped, hitting the wall once more with the black sword in his hand. He grunted when it bounced off, and Hugo winced at the rattling <em>clang</em> it made. “I don’t know why he ran off, but we need to get him out before someone sees-”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo had heard enough. He tried to be quiet as he backed away, slinking back into the shadows. It was obvious now that there definitely was <em>something </em>going on here, and that <em>something</em> wasn’t right. Hugo went back around to the front of the tower, watching as it continued to pulse with blue energy. Hugo brought his hand back up to it, the cold numbness taking over the minute he made contact. The weird thrumming of the stone made the pads of Hugo’s feel fuzzy; he really didn’t want to be touching the rocks, but if brute force wouldn’t work, then maybe…</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon Glowstick.” Hugo said quietly, “Please, let me in.”</p><p> </p><p>Nothing happened.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo huffed. <em>Stupid magic</em>, he grumped, letting his hand drop. <em>Stupid, weird-ass magic and its dumb rules that don’t make any sense</em>-</p><p> </p><p>The wall split open silently, as if cut by a knife. The interior beyond was ink black, so thick that Hugo could see a thing beyond the threshold.</p><p> </p><p>“I love magic so much!” Hugo grinned to himself, stepping forwards into the dark. “It’s just the best, absolutely stellar when it just decides to do random bullshit for my benefit.”</p><p> </p><p>The hall beyond was pitch black. Hugo stepped cautiously, entering what looked to be a grand hall of sorts. Hugo pulled a vial out of his pocket, shaking it idly and letting the chemicals mix to create a green glow. He observed the area around him, noting with dismay that there didn’t seem to be a clear direction to go. It was a large, open main chamber with multiple staircases leading upwards, all of them in different directions. Massive spires of stone stuck out from the floor and walls, as if the tower itself was trying to keep everyone away from the prize at the top. Trust Varian to not make a simple tower, oh no, that little shit just<em> had</em> to build a deadly maze inside of an impenetrable fortress-</p><p> </p><p>“By the <em>Maker</em>,” Hugo sighed, pushing his glasses further up his nose. “Okay, eenie, meenie, miney… <em>mo</em>.” He found himself pointing to the staircase right in the middle wall of the hallway, easily the largest of the bunch. It was nearly blocked by some of the largest spires of the rocks, a group of them spiderwebbing across the entrance to the stairs. Hugo bit the inside of his cheek, rocking on his heels as he contemplated trying a different route. He flinched when the doorway behind him slammed shut with a <em>bang</em>, locking him inside.   </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, that tracks.” Hugo muttered, turning towards the staircase and starting to walk.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Stairs were the devil. They were evil incarnate, sent from the very depths of hell just to make Hugo suffer for all the crimes he’d ever done. Shoplifting? Stairs. Arson? Stairs. Forgery? Stairs. Jaywalking? <em>Stairs</em>.</p><p> </p><p>As he climbed higher and higher Hugo had to start taking more breaks. The exhaustion was seeping into his bones the further he climbed, the events of the last twenty-four hours catching up with Hugo quicker than he’d hoped. He still had to reach the highest point, after all. Hugo had the theory that Varian would be up at the very top of the fortress, because why else would he build such a tall tower if not to perch himself at the highest point like some bloody stupid bird? Hugo puffed out a heaving breath, idly rubbing at his sore legs as he bent double in a dramatic fit of exhaustion on one of the landings.</p><p> </p><p>“No amount-” Hugo cut himself off with another huff, “-of guilt will <em>ever</em> be worth this again. You hear me Goggles? <em>None</em>.” He muttered, not knowing if Varian could even hear him, let alone cared. Hugo flipped his upper half back upwards, so he was standing upright again, cracking his back in protest at the idea of more stairs. “Goddamn magic <em>bullshit</em>.” He muttered, noticing a faint blue light around the next corner. It was constant, as opposed to the light of the rocks, which fluctuated at random. There was only one thing in the tower that could cause such a static light; the realization shot through Hugo’s mind like lightning.</p><p> </p><p><em>Varian</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Exhaustion forgotten, Hugo rushed up the last bit of stairs, nearly falling as he tried to round the corner. The rocks were pulsing faster the closer he got now, their blue light growing brighter as he approached a large door. With a small grunt Hugo shoved the door open, pushing it into the room with a deafening bang. Hugo nearly fell into the room, only just catching himself before he could collapse, and looked up to the room beyond.</p><p> </p><p>It was large, circular, made of the same black rocks as everything else in the fortress. One large, open hole in the wall was the only look into the outside world. Hugo could see clouds outside, and the occasional bird flying by. It made him woozy to think of how high up they were, how easy it would be to just <em>oops</em> out the window and plummet to the ground. He tore his eyes away, trying to focus elsewhere. The room was mostly empty, but Hugo could see a large throne of black stone jutting from the floor, covered in the sharp spikes, directly across from the doorway he stood in. The throne was surrounded by spires of stone, Hugo’s eyes trailed up the long staircase leading up to the throne, landing on a small figure lounging on the throne as if bored. The glow of his hair was bright, brighter than Hugo had ever seen it.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian!” Hugo said, stepping forwards before stopping himself short.</p><p> </p><p>It was Varian… but it also wasn’t.<em> This</em> was familiar to Hugo in the worst kind of way.</p><p> </p><p>“H̸̲͛̓ę̵̧̥̜͓͚̣̥̮̩̪͓̤̒̈̄͌̊̊̃̕͠͝͠l̴̡̹̱̖̥͕̙̥͚̜̜̲͐͂̐̈́͋̏̊̎̊̽̃̇͐̕͠l̶͓̹̘̹͖̘̻̠͈̱̀̒͗̃͊ơ̵̛̳͇͓̞̦͙̠̙̺̦͖̓̊͌̌̈́̉̋̔̿̚̕̕͝ again.” The Moonstone said, cracking Varian’s face into a sly smile as she lounged on the throne. She was laying perpendicular to the throne’s armrests, one leg sliding off the side to settle with a booted foot on the floor, the other leg tossed up on top of the armrest as Varian’s back rested against the other side. She was idly playing with Lukas’ knife, flipping it in Varian’s hand. His hair was floating once more, almost familiar to Hugo if not for the way it crackled with energy. Varian’s eyes were glowing, again a familiar sight; Hugo couldn’t find any sense of comfort in the fact.</p><p> </p><p>Varian stood, idly slipping the knife back into his belt to focus on Hugo entirely. The blonde noticed with a start that Varian was covered in the black rocks, the armor looking almost like a catsuit of black scales with blue highlights wrapping around his body. The armor rippled with energy, small rocks growing and shrinking near his shoulders, but the whole suit seemed to move as if sentient. Varian looked <em>wrong </em>wrapped up in armor, Hugo had known him to favour loose shirts and looser pants; this was the first time Hugo could really see the curves of his body, the pinch of Varian’s waist, the shape of his… Hugo had to cough roughly to bring himself back to reality. For Hugo, seeing the person he was already <em>very</em> attracted to in such an outfit-</p><p> </p><p><em>Damn, that’s hot</em>- Hugo shook himself again; now was decidedly not the time for his mind to stray that direction.</p><p> </p><p>…Maybe later.</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone was truly terrifying to look at, even in Varian’s body. Something in the unnatural way she moved, just a little too controlled, a little too jerky, to be human. She moved in Varian’s body like a puppet on invisible strings. Hugo watched as Varian walked closer until he was mere meters from Hugo, the shorter boy stopping and clasping his hands in front of him demurely.</p><p> </p><p>“I have to T̶̨̧͔̥̯̻̩̹͚̜͍̯̹̱̱͆͋̏̿̎̌͐̆̄̕͠ȟ̶̘̜̒̒̔̇̏ä̵̧̺̮̳̤̳̪́̇̅̚n̶̛͓̫̰̤̖̏̊͛͜k̷̛̰͗͆̃ you.” The Moonstone said, smiling smugly. “I owe you quite a bit, it seems.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s spine stiffened at that. “What do you mean?” He asked. As far as he could remember, the last time they’d met he’d stopped the Moonstone from murdering Varian. The Moonstone’s eyes shone with mirth at the question.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, my darling Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ had been fighting me for nearly two decades.” She said, as if Hugo were an idiot who should know better. “But all it took for him to give me Ĉ̸̢̥̮̦̳̜͆̈́̕̕ͅo̸̧̳͖̳͎̳̞̖̰̦̖͖̔̉̾͂̑͆̕̕͝͝n̶̡̠̟̤̭͆̈͂̑̓̉̇̋̔͒̕͝ṯ̷̡̲̻͉͖̳̪͓̦͖̺̊͆́͌͜r̷̨̨̘̱͔͈͂͂̀̐̑̆͘o̴͙̝̮̟͈͇̤͔͇̞͉̼͖̫͊͗̿͊͑̓͒̑͂̉͜l̵̡̤͙͙̥͍͙̞͋̓̔͑̕ was a little heartbreak, provided by you.”</p><p> </p><p>“H-heartbreak?” Hugo stumbled back as if he’d been slapped. “I did what was best for Varian-”</p><p> </p><p>“He certainly didn’t think so.”  The Moonstone countered. “And all it took to bring him down was a little <em>push</em>. And now he’s M̶̡͉̤̮̿̌̒̄͊̈̓i̶̠͇̪̿͑̒̔̊͂̔̈́͝ņ̸̦̰͚͍͕̟̣͔̬̈͐̽͑͆̅̕͝ͅḙ̵̱͔̼̩̠̻͍̜̭̆ͅ”</p><p> </p><p>She pulled Varian’s face into a pout, fixing Hugo with those unnatural blue eyes. “It’s all thanks to you. When I finally have the S̶͖̰̪͓͐̇͛̄̓̽͑̿̄̃̄͂̇̈́͛u̶͎̟̖̰̯̞̤͕̎̈̈́̂̈̾͛̕͝ǹ̸̢̨̙̼͈̮̬̤̰̿̌͠͝͠ď̴̨̢̥̞͌̐̍̓̒͐͂̑̕ŗ̷̢̟̳̮͙̮͈͑̓̇͗̇͑̎͝ő̷̹͚̺̙̗̿̀͌̊̓p̸̢̧̙͚̮̮̥̹̹̲͕͔͗͆̈́̂̆̈́̂̏̆̈̐̚ here, and once it is destroyed… well that will be on your conscious as well.” She brought Varian’s hand up in a violent gesture; Hugo felt himself tense as the blue glow in Varian’s hair grew brighter; the tower responded in time, the energy thick in the air, almost sparking. Hugo gasped as a wave of black rocks shot up, caging him in a mess of razor-sharp spikes. Hugo felt one hit his arm, and he hissed at the pain as it neatly sliced through his skin like nothing at all. The blood began to drip, the cut a burning pain, but Hugo ignored it as Varian stepped closer. His feet barely made a sound on the polished obsidian, just the subtle <em>click</em> of stone on stone.</p><p> </p><p>“I knew from the moment I saw you, that you’d be the one to finally break my Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃.” She whispered, like she was telling him a secret. “I’ve seen your type countless times. Selfish, greedy, and <em>cruel</em>. We’re alike, that way.” She began to giggle at her own joke. It sounded so different from the way Hugo was used to, Varian’s voice warped and <em>cruel</em>. “I knew with my Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃’s feelings for you, and with your inclination it was only a matter of time.”</p><p> </p><p>“His- feelings?” Hugo said, both dreading her answer and anticipating it.</p><p> </p><p>She laughed, reaching Varian’s hand up to pat at Hugo’s cheek. Varian’s skin was concerningly cold, but Hugo leaned into it on instinct. For a moment he could forget everything around them, feeling the now familiar hand on his face. If he closed his eyes, Hugo could almost imagine it was that last night at the fire, before everything had gone so wrong; just Hugo, Varian, and the warmth between them.</p><p> </p><p>But the Moonstone refused to let him have that.</p><p> </p><p>“He feels affection for you.” She said plainly, “There’s attraction, of course, but also something that could grow if you fostered it. My Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ is young, after all, as are you.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s heart both soared and sank. Varian liked him, as more than a friend. Hugo didn’t deserve it, never would <em>dare</em> to wish for such a thing to be possible, but if what she said was true, then something in Hugo was light with elation. The thought sparked so much joy, turning into an inferno in the blink of an eye.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Varian liked him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Then, a dousing flood on that flame.</p><p> </p><p><em>Hugo had broken Varian’s heart</em>.</p><p> </p><p>By the Maker, he really had made a mess of it all, hadn’t he?</p><p> </p><p>Hugo gripped tightly at the black rocks keeping him in place as the Moonstone dropped Varian’s hand from Hugo’s face. “Varian was going for the Sundrop,” The blond said, trying to bide for time. The blue gem in Varian’s chest sparked every once and a while, angry pulses of unstable energy that lit Varian’s face in an unnatural way. “Why take him over completely? He was already doing what you wanted.”</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone arched a brow. “A fair question.” She admitted. “But he was getting <em>distracted</em>. You were also to blame for that.”</p><p> </p><p>The rocks around Hugo begin to constrict, getting dangerously close to slicing him to ribbons. Hugo could see his reflection in the rocks, jagged and broken from the texture of them; the blond could see the fear in his green eyes, the paleness of his face as the Moonstone threatened to skewer him.  </p><p> </p><p>“But once you’re out of the way, he’ll never try and escape again.” Varian’s face split into a large grin, so wide it looked painful. Hugo let out a hiss of pain as one of the rocks began to cut into his leg. The burn of it wasn’t the worst thing, but it was certainly painful as it slowly cut through his flesh. He tried to move out of the way, only to be stopped by another spire, this one dangerously close to stabbing him in the stomach. Hugo felt his hands begin to shake, the panic starting to climb up in his throat-</p><p> </p><p>And then, suddenly, all at once the spikes retracted back into the floor. All of them disappeared into the polished obsidian soundlessly, but the scream that followed echoed through the empty room.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo!” Varian yelled, his eyes flickering back to their normal blue, “Hugo, you’ve gotta run, get away, I can’t hold her back-” Varian was cut off with a screech as his eyes crackled back to the electric blue of the Moonstone’s presence. Varian bent double with a scream, shaking, drawing his hands up to his chest as if to claw his own heart out. There was a small tremor in the floor; Hugo scrambled to the left as a spike of rock stabbed at him from the floor, violently trying to run him through.</p><p> </p><p>“Ę̴̧̱͚͇̰̫̱̝̫͓̝̦͚̮͗̋̐͛͒̈́̓̓̉̿̕n̵̛͚͍̯̝̬̹̩̥̘̼̊͗̅͛̉͑̅ǫ̵̨͖̪̙͔̯̠̣̌̉͋͆͋̈́͗͒̓ͅu̶̝̤̖̫̟̮̥̖͕̿͗̈́̾̚͜͝g̶̡̥̥͚̰̥̥̬͈̘̙̭̣̀͛͂̾̈́̄̉̔̈́͒h̵̨̫̰̘͈̲̦̬̹̫͙͈͙̜̾̋̇̅̆̑͝” Spat the Moonstone, forcing her stolen body to stand straighter once again. “It seems my Ḧ̷̞̯̻̦́͋̄̈́o̷̘̩̖̫̓̾̽̕ṣ̵̑̍̆̂t̵̰̃ has woken up. A pity he’ll have to watch you <em>die</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo scurried out of the way as more rocks began to dog his heels, the blond sprinting across the room as he heard the floor tear itself apart behind him. He nearly tripped as one of the rocks clipped his ankle, sending him fumbling to get his legs under him. The Moonstone let out a snarl, lifting both of Varian’s hands up to claw at the air. The spikes somehow got even more violent, punching up from the floor until they finally managed to knock Hugo down. The blond let out a shout of pain as he landed on his shoulder, only to be cut off when the rocks grew around his body, effectively crushing Hugo as he screamed.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo struggled as much as he could, his head and feet the only parts of him that could really move in the cocoon of rocks. The Moonstone manoeuvred him so that he was upright, his feet only just brushing the onyx floor. She brought him forwards until they were face to face, Hugo could see his own reflection in the glow of Varian’s eyes. Her grin was nearly manic, bringing a fist up and twisting.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let out a yell as he felt the rocks around begin to constrict, crushing him slowly. He could feel his arms push painfully into his sides, Hugo grunting as he felt his ribs bend from the pressure. He tried to force air into his constricted lungs, gasping in agony as the rocks tightened around him. He refused to break her stare, glaring at her as she smiled. The Moonstone’s face held nothing but malice, still twisting her fist slowly. She was prolonging it, Hugo realized; she wanted him to <em>suffer</em>.</p><p> </p><p>The glow in Varian’s eyes flickered again, blinking quickly to reveal Varian’s baby blue once more. The shorter boy brought up his other hand to push the one controlling the rocks down, letting out a scream as he did so. He seemed to have to fight against it, the stress making Varian’s body convulse. The rocks around Hugo stopped constricting, loosening their grip. The blond started to wiggle a little more, feeling himself begin to slip free. Varian let out another wail, fingers digging into his own wrist as he held his arm down, close to his side.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo, go!” Varian cried, tears brimming as he shook. “Please, just get out of here!”</p><p> </p><p>The rocks crumbled around Hugo, enough that he could shimmy out from their grip. The tower rumbled in anger, a great, bone-rattling shudder that nearly sent Hugo stumbling. Instead of running away, however, he stepped forwards to Varian, cupping the shorter boy’s face in his shaking hands. Varian looked up at him with shock, even when Hugo gently wiped away his tears with a pale thumb.</p><p> </p><p>“Not going anywhere, Goggles.” Hugo whispered, “Not anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>The glow tried once more to take over, Varian shuddered as he brought up both his hands to grab gently at Hugo’s wrists. It was a soft touch, more holding Hugo’s hands where they were than anything else. The tower continued to rattle around them, the Moonstone’s rage palpable in the air. Hugo could see the terror in Varian’s eyes, the fear in them breaking his heart.</p><p> </p><p>Blood and tears hit the obsidian floor with a quiet <em>plip</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want her to hurt you.” Varian sobbed; his face was crumpled in devastation. “You have to go-”</p><p> </p><p>“The hell I do!” Hugo spat, bending forwards to push their foreheads together. It was something soft in the chaos, the two of them reveling in the closeness, mingling breaths as they leaned against one another. “I won’t leave you, Varian.” Hugo murmured softly, tears of his own slipped free. “I won’t. I’m so sorry- I screwed up, I ruined everything a-and got you into this mess. If you never want to see me again, I understand, but I won’t just leave you here. Not if I can help you-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a wet laugh, but Hugo could see the blue beginning to creep into the edges of his eyes. It was now or never. With a small sob Hugo pressed a little harder against Varian, grounding them both as they cried, the blond watching with dismay as the light overtook Varian again, his crushed expression twisting into a grin before flicking back as the Moonstone tried to take control from him once more.</p><p> </p><p>The floor began to rumble, the tower clawing itself apart at the seams. Varian let out a pained shout as the shuddering of the tower got more intense, the flashing of his eyes growing brighter as he tried to fight it. Hugo clung to him just that little bit tighter, his hands shaking as they went to cup the back of Varian’s head. Varian nearly bent double with a shout of pain, leaning forwards into Hugo’s shoulder as his whole body spasmed. Hugo felt Varian’s shaking hands grip tightly into his shirt, the scaled armor cold as it curled into green fabric.</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon Varian,” Hugo murmured, “C’mon, you can fight it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t,” Varian gasped out, shuddering in pain again, “Hugo, I can’t- she’s taking over again, you need to go.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, Goggles.” Hugo said with a sad smile, clinging all the closer to Varian. “I’m with you ‘till the end of the road- no more running.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s baby blues were locked onto Hugo’s green eyes, both of them near blind through the tears as Varian’s eyes were being slowly eaten by the blue light of the Moonstone’s influence. Varian pressed back against Hugo, taking in a deep breath as his hands lifted to the blond’s shoulders. Hugo felt a sudden shove, yelping in shock as he was flung away from Varian and landed hard on the stone floor. There was a sudden pulse of the energy, the tower shaking again as Varian stood tall.  </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, Hugo,” Varian said with a pained wince, his face wet with tears, “But this one’s on me.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian brought up a shaking hand towards his own chest, standing as tall as he was able under the waves of agony the Moonstone was causing him. Hugo was up on his feet in an instant, already seeing what Varian intended to do.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian, <em>no!”</em> Hugo screamed, running forwards as Varian slammed his eyes shut. The smaller boy grabbed hold of the Moonstone embedded in his skin, gritting his teeth against the crackling shock of energy coming from the gem; he clenched his fist tightly around the Moonstone, and with a great <em>yank</em> Varian ripped it from his chest.</p><p> </p><p>And then, <em>white</em>. </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s world filtered back in piece by piece.</p><p> </p><p>It started with the noise, the strange silence of the Moonstone’s tower; it ended with Hugo cracking his eyes open, groaning at the general achiness of his entire body. He’d been thrown, from the looks of it, tossed clean across the floor from where he had been standing. He was close to the doors now, as opposed to near the throne, and Varian-</p><p> </p><p>Wait.</p><p> </p><p><em>Varian</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, shit, <em>Varian</em>?!” Hugo called, frantically searching the room. Varian blended in so well without the Moonstone’s glow that Hugo nearly missed him, lying prone on his side across the room, his limp form facing away from the blond. Hugo scrambled to his feet, ignoring the soreness and the still dripping blood from his wounds, bolting forwards without a single thought.</p><p> </p><p>The tower was nearly silent; it was like a tomb. The energy in the air was still present, if anything it felt even more overbearing, but Hugo didn’t care as he rushed for Varian. The blue glow in Varian’s hair was gone completely, the rock armour dulled to a grey as opposed to its original black sheen. Varian’s usual tanned skin was a sickly pallor, his eyes gently closed. He looked asleep; he looked <em>dead</em>. Hugo skid to a stop, dropping to his knees next to Varian without a care for the dull shock of pain it caused him. He carefully lifted Varian’s head from the stone, turning the smaller teen so he was on his back. Varian’s head lolled, leaning unconsciously into Hugo’s touch as the blond cupped his cheek.  </p><p> </p><p>“<em>Shit</em>, Goggles,” Hugo muttered, kneeling over Varian with a frantic movement, “Why would you try something like that, that was <em>insane-</em>”</p><p> </p><p>Varian, obviously, didn’t respond. Hugo’s hands were gentle as he touched Varian’s cheek, tilting the smaller teen’s face to check for injuries. Physically Varian looked the same, still healing from Donella’s torture, but no other wounds to speak of. His blue hair stripe was gone, only black hair left behind. It looked wrong. Hugo leaned close, listening once more for breath; he had the worst sense of déjà vu, thinking back to Donella’s laboratory and the <em>screaming</em>-</p><p> </p><p>“Holy shit.” Hugo gasped, shuddering with emotion as he heard Varian’s gentle breathing. “Holy <em>shit</em>, Glowstick, we can’t keep doing this. I’ve lost five years off my lifespan because of this week- after this, we’re going on vacation.”</p><p> </p><p>The joke echoed in the silence of the tower, but Hugo hardly noticed. He only had ears for the quiet breathing of the boy before him. Hugo tried to laugh, but all that came out was a small sob as the panic began to take over. Would Varian ever wake up? He might be <em>alive,</em> but would he wake up? He hadn’t last time, not until the Moonstone had been returned, and even then, Varian had been near delirious-</p><p> </p><p>“Seriously, Sweetcheeks” Hugo kept going, his voice getting weaker as Varian still didn’t move, “I’ll take you wherever you want to go after this, no questions asked, you just g-gotta wake up for me…”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo grit his teeth as his voice hitched. Varian didn’t need him to panic; letting the anxiety take over in the shaking of Hugo’s hands and the beating of his heart wouldn’t help anything. Varian was still breathing, at least- he could just be unconscious, waiting for something to wake him up, a beacon to light his way back.</p><p> </p><p>If Varian needed someone to guide him home, Hugo would gladly do it.</p><p> </p><p>“There’s so much waiting for you,” Hugo whispered, listening to the sweet symphony of Varian’s feeble breathing. “Your family, the world… <em>everything</em>.” He let out a watery laugh as the tears got so thick Hugo couldn’t see properly anymore. “Even me... I’m waiting for you, Glowstick. I want to see those baby blues again. Who’s gunna tell me I’m an idiot if you’re not around, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian didn’t stir, but as long as Hugo could see that chest moving it was fine. The smaller boy was alive, even if the Moonstone had been torn from his body by Varian’s own hand. Something in Hugo’s broken heart started beating again, perfectly in sync with those breaths.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll be okay,” Hugo gasped through his tears. “You’ve got a lot left to see, Goggles, I know Corona wasn’t the last of it-”</p><p> </p><p>There was a sudden clattering of the rocks nearby, familiar in the way they sounded like cracking bone when responding to Varian’s commands. Hugo’s head snapped up to see a large figure, shining blue and ethereal, flickered before him. Her round face was split into a shark’s smile, her ghostly hands lifting up and reaching for the two of them. She was nearly transparent, her dress and hair fluttering in a wind that wasn’t there. Hugo felt a stab of fear as she knelt over them, her seven feet of height seeming near towering to Hugo. Her hands were like claws as she reached for Varian’s prone body, it inspired a sense of primal fear in the blond teenager. Hugo clung harder to the boy in his arms, pushing backwards with his feet while clutching Varian’s limp figure close. He scurried back even as she paused and laughed at him, Hugo only stopping when his back hit the stone wall. Hugo pulled Varian to him tightly, so the smaller boy was nearly in his lap as Hugo tried to hide as much of Varian as possible from the woman in front of them.</p><p> </p><p>The echo of her voice ran through the crevices of Hugo’s mind, not speaking aloud but demanding to be <em>heard</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Ĺ̷̬͈͉̰̗̦̹͖̭̖̿̑̿̀̓͒ͅe̵̡̪̅̉̀̓t̴̘̞̀͊̈́̚ ̶̧̘̱̤̯͚͈̜̦̬̳̝͙̇̈̉̏͜ͅH̶̫̹̟̼͋͒̓̽i̵̜̜̠̪̯̣̜̰̎̒m̴̼̞̼͑̈̓̒̀̿̈́̎̅̓̄̈ ̴̢̛͎͇̜̦̱̜̭̗̰͊̍̊̈́̌͌̀͋̓̂͐̈́͘Ğ̶͇̩̰̼̘̦͎͂̑̍̾͠ọ̵̢̖͚̼͓̬͚̣͈͔̝̩̯̯̿͒͑̅͝͠” The Moonstone commanded. Hugo grit his teeth and shook his head, holding Varian tighter. Varian’s limp head lolled once more, settling onto Hugo’s shoulder. Hugo could feel the smaller boy’s soft breaths, unknowing of the danger they were in. Hugo steeled himself, glaring up at the Moonstone with contempt.</p><p> </p><p>“Never.” Hugo said, scowling up at her.</p><p> </p><p>Her face darkened. The tower rattled at her anger, spikes of black rock growing sporadically from the walls and floors in unmeasured abandon. She moved forwards, not so much walking as gliding; her immaculate dress didn’t so much as flutter. When her feet made contact with the floors the rocks glowed a neon blue, a small pulse until she moved on. Hugo tried to cover as much of Varian as he could with his own body, curling his arms and legs tight around the smaller boy. The blond twisted himself closer to the wall, placing himself between Varian and the Moonstone, even as she drew closer.</p><p> </p><p>As her hands drew close, Hugo let out what almost sounded like a snarl, pushing himself between her and her prey. She paused briefly, an eyebrow arching as if she were surprised by his audacity. Hugo felt the walls around them rattle, the section behind him moving in waves. The Moonstone reached forwards again, and Hugo bared his teeth in challenge.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re <em>never</em> touching him again.” Hugo hissed, “Not while I’m here!”</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone pulled back just slightly, looking at him with a raised brow.</p><p> </p><p>V̵̟̦̥̺͕́́̅̌̏̅̌̆̕ë̵̛̬̂͛̋̓̕̕r̵̭̿̒̅̾̈́͜͝ÿ̶̡̧̡͔̯͈͙̳́̐͛̄͆͐̅͘͝͝ ̵̨̨̨͇̙̰̼̱̞̝̣̐͌W̶̞̻͎̞̭̻̖͔̻̬̃͆̄̈́̒̒̆͑̑̕ͅͅe̸̼̳̘̞͈̲̤̪̰͒͆̎̄̽͗̅̈̈́̈̉̑̚͜ͅḻ̴͙̫̫̥̭̬̲̉̒̆̀̊͛̍͐͘͘͝ͅͅl̶̖͚̳̜̭̎̃̓̐͑̍͐̌͘͝ she conceded, Į̶̢̹͖͔̎͊͐̿͌f̴̡̖͚͖̜͍̔̅̃͜ͅ ̶̢̮͔͙͔̞̳̬͚͌͌̆̏͌̌́̾͒͒Ţ̶̢̛̹̜̲͈̖̖̾̽͛̈́̐̉̑̂̈́̌͠h̷̙̱͔̗̲̞̻̫̹̳̉̓͐̅̃͛̑͋͐̎̚̕å̷̞̮̯̌̓̔̍͗̾̇͐̊͋̃̚̚t̷̠̿̈̌̏̌͂̆̑͊̆̄͊̾̕͠ ̸͓̗͖̠̥̘̈́͜͜I̵͉͙͔̎̈́̒͊̌̈́͌̾̂̌s̵̨̢͍̗͔̙̬̔͒̈́͑̈͝͠ ̸̛̦̊̑̕̕͜͝H̸̼̝͙̥̙̣̩̥̅̋̀̋̌͌̍̿̆ö̵͓̬͓̈́͂̈́̇̊͌͆͗͝͝͝ẅ̵̮̜̝́̂͂̿͑͛̔̿̚ ̶̧̢̡͖̳͉͍͉͇̻͓͔͚͚͎͋̎̔̇̃͐̽͝͝͝Y̵̜̙͚̩̥͎͗o̵̧̻̦͕͌̏̈́͆͆̀̅͆͊̂͌̕͝ữ̸̢̹̜̼̖̣̘̲͙͕̼̈́̓̇͂̍̃̃͒ ̶̠͇͇̪̙̳͕̾͗͒̎̉͌̀̈́͑̂̐̃̆͘͠F̶̧̨͚̱̝̫̒͆̔͋͆̀̇̿̒͘é̴̳̣̌̂͌͊̍̆͗̅͒͠͝e̶̡̲̥̖̜̪͉͈͍̔͌͠ļ̷̜͔̤̤̉</p><p> </p><p>She made a small flick of one of her fingers, barely a casual move, but the tower responded with such violence it made Hugo flinch. A wave of obsidian spikes burst from the floors, jagged and unrelenting as they drew close. Hugo buried his face into Varian’s hair, clinging tight as the tower tore itself apart at the Moonstone’s behest. The rocks drew closer, the blue glow nearly talking over the room. Hugo let out a sudden scream as a flair of pain suddenly sprouted from his right side. His grip on Varian loosened as he looked down to see one of the black rocks slowly stabbing into his side, burrowing deeper at the Moonstone’s command. The rock moved slowly, drawing out the agony. Hugo shuddered at the feeling, the injury bringing a surging rush of pain and terror through his body.</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone sneered at him, looking at Hugo like he was a naughty child. </p><p> </p><p>L̷̯̟̈́ͅͅe̵̼͔̯̦͇̮̥̞̹̟̬̻̭̔͐͜ͅţ̸̠͖͖̺͓͚͊̀̾̂ ̴̛͈̗͗͌͌̋̓̐̐͌͋͊͆̚H̵̨̪̭̬̝͙͇͔̣͊̄͐̆̓̇͊̎͋̇͝i̸̹̫͙͙̟̒̈́͑̿̆̈́͝m̴̧̻̟̮̜̣͕͍̜̙̤̗̝͇̒̏͜ ̶̨̛̛̳̙͙͖̻͓̥͙̽͛̓̀͊͂͂̓́͑͝͝G̵̼̈͛̔o̵̳̰͓͐̚ Her voice hissed in the folds between his thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo didn’t have the breath left for words, especially as his vision began to go spotty with pain. The shock began to set in, his fingers growing weak as he tried to cling to Varian with everything he had left.</p><p> </p><p>“N-no.” Hugo gasped through the pain, refusing to give her an inch. He let out screech as the rock suddenly retracted, a gush of blood following. Hugo’s world spun, but all he could see was black hair and a shark’s smile. The Moonstone reached forwards again; Hugo took one last desperate kick at her, but his boot passed right through her incorporeal form. The Moonstone laughed again, her face split in a grin.</p><p> </p><p>H̵̦̺͉̆͋̇̚e̸͎̪̫͑ͅ'̸̧͖̈́͊̅͗͝ṡ̵̖̃ ̶̧͈̝̄͋͂N̶̨͚̰̳̗̍̈̾̄̅o̸̱͘͝t̶͔͉̑͋͋̽̽ͅ ̸̛͙̫͒Y̷̟͈͖̆̋͆͝ͅo̸̞͛̆̓͠ų̶͈̫̰͎͊̉̇ŗ̶̧̱͘ş̴̼̭͖̯̍͆͊̄̿ ̷̛̗̍̿T̵̯̦̙͎͒̔͜ò̸͕̰̤̬͖ ̵̣͎͒̎K̶̻͇̎͛̔ȩ̵̙̬̞̈́̿̽ḙ̸̭͉͍̑̂̈́͜p̷̭͎̤̲̞̓ Her voice rang through his swimming thoughts, echoing in the space between the fear and pain. Hugo grit his teeth, vision swimming as he tried to look into her glowing blue eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“H-he’s not yours, either.” Hugo bit out, feeling himself begin to lose consciousness. The Moonstone paused for a second, tilting her head as if he had said something confusing. Her lips quirked up into a smirk, only growing into a full smile as Hugo’s vision was dotted with black spots, the darkness creeping in from the edges. Hugo fully slumped against the wall, unable to hold his own weight up. He tried to fight the tightening hands of sleep as he saw the Moonstone reaching for Varian, but the shock and agony from the wound, coupled with the previous exhaustion, proved to be too much for Hugo’s body. With a last desperate sob, Hugo’s eyes fluttered shut, his body going limp as he fell unconscious.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Varian was floating… until he wasn’t.</p><p> </p><p>It had felt like the last time he’d been separated from the Moonstone, like being drugged and underwater at the same time. Varian’s head spun, like someone had taken a stick and swirled his mind around until there was nothing left but soup. There was no sound, the silence eerie but familiar… like an evening at the farm, where everyone else had long fallen asleep, leaving Varian the only one wandering around the quiet house. He was floating in a fog, dazed as he travelled through an endless void. He drifted, unfeeling and unaware as time slipped him by-</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, my H̶̨̡̧̛̛̬̥̝̭̹͇̟̭̼̗͓̬̣͚͚̝̠̬̰͔̜͚̰̼̗̭͎͈̹̪̘̙̟̘̝̙̞͖͉͓̒̔̎̃̌͊̑̈̆̒̓̂̾̄̋̈͑̊͗̅͋̃̇͐̅͂̇̂̂̏̾̀͗̎̒̀͌̕͜͜͝͝ͅö̴̡̙̼̻̮̪͎̗͈͚̠͈̻̞̹͕̤̱͍̙̬̙̝̝̮̠͉̰̻̺̲̥͍̗͔̤͙̝͉̺͍͍́ͅs̴̢̻̺͙͖̦̰̭̱̲̔̑̄̋̌̉͛ͅṭ̷̢̡̛̛̩̹̖͕͎̝͈̫̫͕͔̘̝̻͕̖̮͙͓̟̘̥̖͓̭̦͈̩̤̠̮͉̞͙͇̲̲͍͙̞̯̥̩̺̮̫̲̆͐͑͛̃̎͌͊́́̎͗̎̽̄̋̔̄̈́͊̄̇̈́̈̈́̌͒̓̆̓̒̿̑͑͘̚̚͝͝͝͝͝”</p><p> </p><p>Oh.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s eyes slid open, eyelids heavy and fluttering as they fought him to stay closed. The smell of brimstone assaulted him, as it always did during these dreams. The winds picked up around him, ruffling his flat hair. Varian was on his side, staring off into the purple, ethereal void of the Moonstone’s domain. He saw stars, flickering and infinite, swirling around in galaxies and clusters; the cosmos laid bare before him.</p><p> </p><p>Varian groaned, seeing a pair of white flats appear in front of him. He looked up to the Moonstone, the boy slowly sitting up. The aches in his body betrayed him, pain settling into every little part of Varian’s body. Hell, he was fairly sure his <em>hair</em> hurt at this point. The Moonstone smiled, something near feral.</p><p> </p><p>He was on the Moonstone’s island again, but she seemed… different. Her hair was getting ragged, choppy and wild, her dress hems torn at the ends; The Moonstone’s eyes were near animalistic, set into such an expression of rage that Varian couldn’t help but feel a spike of fear. Varian caught sight of the slightest twitch of her fingers, feeling a jolt of fear- something in him screaming to <em>move</em>. He shot out of the way just as a spire of rock burst from the platform, nearly impaling him. His aching limbs protested, but the pulse of adrenaline was enough to keep him moving. Varian rolled out of the way, scrambling to his feet and tensing as he turned to face the Moonstone.</p><p> </p><p>“You will give me Ć̵̢̨̡̧̧̛̳̖̝̦͕̪̼̠͇̺̜̝͕̻̖͙͍̭̱̠̫̩̤̮͕̘̰̀͑͛͑̂̒̈́̈́͗̕͘͘̚̚̚̕͜͜o̸͔̪̗̘̦̙͐̊̋̆̀̿̋̿̑̎̂͂̌͐̇̿̃̾̾̌̍̓̈́͑̏́͐̓̑̋̚͘͜͝͝͝n̶̢̡̰̤̹̺͉̻͓̠̉̾̓̔̂̈̉̌͆̍̅͗͋͐̏̿́̆̋̿̎̽̐̃͋̚̕͘͘͝ţ̸̢̛̳̣̤̤͍͎̝̝̪̝͇̖̼͍̩͓̳̻̥͓͖͕̈́͂̊̅̆͛͊̅̃̊̐̽̃̔̄̑͌̾̓̀̅̄̌̓͂́̂̚̕͘͠ͅṙ̴̢̨̨̧̨̨̢͕͍͚͚͓̰̭̣̙̘̜̝͓̻͇͙̙̞̺̤̹̰̣̪̲̻͇̭̘͕̥͍̦̪̝͉̻̭̳̃̔̐̅̕͠ͅͅo̷̢̨̧̧̢̯̝͚̘͎̣̩͚̖̜̙̼̝̜͍̬̤͕̥̺̞̜̦̝͓͚̤̹͚̝̦̐̈̔̎͌̐̎͋̐͑͛̅̍̋́̐͐̃͌̾̓̇͊̔̒͌̓͒͘͜͜͝͝͠l̷̡̛̛̺̬̝͔̮̙͓̩̔̽̀̇͊̄̋̄̓̉̋̀̆̀̓̅̌̓͌̾̔͋͗͆̓̀͒͌̄̓̀̈́̒̀͘͘̚͘̚͠͝͝,” She demanded, lifting a hand up aggressively, almost clawing at the air. Varian screamed in fear as a wave of black rocks burst from the ground under his feet, lifting him up onto a circular platform of glowing obsidian before he could even think of running. He fell hard onto the platform, the fast movement nearly tossing Varian roughly as it moved. A pained noise was torn from Varian’s throat as the rocks scooped him up and blocked him in, thin spires growing quicker than he could escape them, reaching up for the sky like vines. </p><p> </p><p>Varian shuddered as the rocks grew into a sort of elegant, rounded cage around him, drawing up like fingers would around an insect. He watched as they grew around him, linking high above his head into a prison that looked almost like a birdcage, of all things. It was nearly dainty, with thin, graceful bars swirling in artisanal patterns to keep him in. Varian shuddered, his breath hitching; he hadn’t even known she could use the rocks here- she never had before- and the thought struck fear into him. If she hurt him here, would it hurt him out in the real world? If she <em>killed him</em>-</p><p> </p><p>He brought shaking hands up to the thin, black bars, clutching them so tightly the leather of his gloves creaked in protest. The Moonstone seemed to draw back into her usual state, now that he was contained, the ghostly woman bringing her hands back down to fold into her usual demure pose.</p><p> </p><p>“Enough of this.” She scolded him, “No more, my H̶̲̬̯̗̮̲̙̙͓̗̯̱̗̦͔̄ỏ̴͚͚̣̟̹̩̝̮̗̭̩͋̈̈͒͘s̷̡̟͖̼͎t̷̛̥̹͙͍͚̘̾̃́̒̌̑͛̋ this has gone on for too long. You will give me C̶̢͕̲̙̜̱̙̠̼̃͆̈́̕͜ͅơ̶̦̤̪̝͗̅̐̎̈̄͛͜ņ̷͉̩͎͚̬̩͕̳̗̪̈́̅͜͠t̴͍̘̥̣͈̥͚̱̗͍́̂̈́͋̈́̋̕̚r̶̨͙̖̱̝̥̲͕̈̓͘̚͠o̴̧̠͉̙̭̤̭͇̟̮͖̺̾̓͜l̸̛͉͇͙̱͚̭̥̬̘̱̟̕, and we will find the S̷̡͙͂̕͝ừ̴̯͚͕̼̣̫̱̭̀͒̊̈̓̈́́͋͌n̷̮̻̓̿͊͌́̊̂̎̓͘͜͠d̵͇̣̬̖̹̜͖͛̄̈̾̈̉̓̂̚r̵̲̪̰̰̒̈́͋̍̇́̅̚͠ő̵̙̮̠̃͂͛̏̎̈́̕͘͝p̵̧̛̰̜̻̣̣̦̖̮̻͍̙͔̥̭̠̲̯̦̫̻̟̮̫̪͓͆͋̔̈͒̽́͌̓͒͂̐̋̏̅̓̅̚͜ͅͅͅ, or I will find that little human boy you cherish so much, and I will <em>crush him</em> with our bare hands.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian shuddered at the threat, but refused to back down. “I won’t!” He spat, “I won’t let you hurt anyone else!”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t get a C̷̝͈̦̞̤̋̇ḩ̵̩̗̙͙̻͙͂̓̆͋̕͘͠͝ͅỏ̶̗̠̦̅̑͂͊i̸̞̇͊̍c̶̡̛̯̟͖̱̘͎̜̅̾̀̋̋̉͝ę̷̢̢̖͖̬̮͖͉̹͔̪͒̾̈́̄̆͋̇͗̒̊̾͐̕̚͜ͅ,” She said flatly. The cage began to warp, the thin bars between the two of them sprouting needle-like shards in every direction. Varian hissed as they dug into his hands, forcing him to let go of the rocks. His gloves were torn to shreds, blood starting to spread from his shredded palms. He tried to scoot to the back of the cage, his back hitting the bars and stopping him short. The needles of stone got closer and closer; Varian cringed as one was inches away from his face, slamming his eyes shut in a feeble attempt to protect them. He could feel himself start to shake with fear, tremors taking over as the terror began to consume him. Varian tried to curl into himself as tightly as he could, trying to protect himself from the Moonstone’s vicious attack.</p><p> </p><p>“S̸̨͇̻̖̼͓̯͎͖̹̥͂́͗̅͆̒͛̽̃̈́͛͛͊̚͝t̸̯̤͉͚͂̋̋o̶̳͖̬̤̯͂̚͝ͅp̶̨̝͔̤̗̝̩͍̮̱͔̜͓͛̓̈́̿̈͜͠ͅ ̷̨̡̧͍̩̺̤͇̱͚̭͖͐̒͌̎͊̈́̿͌͂̾́̅̍͜͝F̴̡̲͕̙͔͊͆ͅī̷̛̱̖̠͇̮͔͍̝̩̩̼͊̓͑̒̑̍̒̿̇͆͝͝g̷̘͚̻̹̘̗͔̫̿̍́̈́͛̍͆͝͝h̷̛͈̽̍͂͊̍͋̌͌͝t̶̨̢͚̰̲̲͓̯̉͑ͅi̵̥̎́͗́̅̂n̵̛̠̟͙̝̳̯̲̂̎͒͊́̎̐̇̌ġ̷͇̝͍̠͇̣̓͋͆̒̍́̋̊̚ ̷̡̢̥̞̹̹͉̤̰͍̩͍̹̞͕̾M̶̧̧̡͚̬̳̹̬͕͇̾̈̽̍̾͑̓̅̉͘ē̸͇̭̗̼̯̣̹͇͚̝̃͊͊͋̐͂” The Moonstone commanded. Varian felt a sudden burning pain in his cheek; he didn’t need to open his eyes to know one of the rocks was slicing along his cheekbone. He squeezed his eyes a little tighter, blood mixing with tears as it dripped down his face. “<em>Stop</em>!” He screeched desperately, trying in vain to press himself further into the bars at his back.</p><p> </p><p>Varian could feel the razor-sharp stone cutting deeper into his skin and shuddered at the sensation. He could hear the Moonstone still talking, but his ears were going deaf as the fear grew stronger. The rock cutting his face was like fire, slow and <em>agonizing </em>as it cut through his skin. Varian threw up a bloody, shaking hand out on instinct, one of his fingers coming into contact with the glowing blue rocks-</p><p> </p><p>They stopped.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s eyes snapped open when he heard a cracking noise like snapping bone, watching with shock as the needle thin rocks that had been so close to skewering him began to crumble to bits. It started from where he’d touched them, the rocks nearly dissolving from contact with his skin through the shredded gloves. He stared in shock as they clattered to the floor of the cage, small shards raining down with a small rattling noise. Varian’s eyes snapped up to the Moonstone, who looked just as surprised as he did. He tensed when her shocked face darkened, eyes narrowing.</p><p> </p><p>“Ş̷̛̝̟̩̮̎̔̐͑̈́̈̍͂̔̓͂̆͆̃̈́̅̅̆̚͝͝ţ̵̨̢̡̛̛͚̜͎̬͎̪͚̣̺̮̣̙̟͎͂̓̆̌͐̀̎̔̇̀͒̔̑͒̑̽͊̽̓̈̽̃̈́̏̎͜͜͝͠o̶̡̹̦̲̍̈́̾̅̑͒̈͝p̴̧̡͔̬̲͉̯͖͔̹̜̝̣̔̇͗̓̐̓͐̾̇̋̽̒̒̄̈́̓̊̃͐̔̾̋̍̄̐͒̕ͅͅ” She hissed, bringing her hand up, “You’re not in Ç̴̢̻͔͙̳̞̟̟̘̹̤͉̗̰̦̙͇͙̟̳̦̝̭͍̻͓̜̞̻̩̲͈̋̓̿͋̑̅͋̓͛̆͐͘͘͘͠ͅͅͅo̶͍̎͋͌͘n̶̨̢̝̳̯͔̪͚̮͓͙̗̜͚̰̝͔͍͓͎̙̺̪̈́͌̽͐̽̏͋͆̕͜ͅţ̵̢̛̪͓̘̻̥͚̮̬̦̥̞͓͕̝̬͔̗̦̹̳͔̞͇̹̹̝͎̖̠̼̣̺̱̭̋̅̇͋̅̍̉͑̐̔̒̾͊̃͋̑̌́̊́̌͆̕͘͝͠r̷̢̛̮̃̆͂̆̌̆͆͒̐̀̏̎̾͑̃͑͐̅͐̅͝͝ờ̴̡̞̩͚̰̬͓͕̘̲̪̮͖̤̖̘̫̺̱̙̗̫͖̯̱͑́̑͗̿͛͒̈̐͂̌̃̾͐̏̄̌͋̿̆̀̑̾͗͒̎͋͆͐̄̔͆͘̕̕̕͝͝͠l̶̡̢̨̨̖̟͙̜̯̤͚̜̻̫̻̗̻̰̮͈̣̼̙͉̭̲̯̻̦̮̞̘̲̳̹̱̟̥̩̍̊̋̏̀̓̀͗͊͋̋̓͒͛̓͒͊̆̕͘͜͠ here, <em>I am</em>. You are my H̵̡̢̛̛͈̰̞̪̯͚̭̜͓͙͍͇̻̼̟͕͖̫̩̹̖̘͍̦̱͙̜̗̮̍͛̅͐̌̽̆̎͑̍͐̔̃͊̂́͑͒̈́̕̚͝o̵̡̡̼̩͖͍͍̠̽́̋͑̓̍̈́͗͂̋͋̌̓͊̉̂̽͊͆͘̕s̴̛̞͔̮͓͇͗͌̏̒͗̓̃͋̓͗̅͊̓̾͒͒̾̄́̽̕͝t̴̢͖̮̙̱̟̮̣̎͋̌̐̋̉͌̔̓̍͛͘̚̚͠, and you will learn to <em>submit</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked down to his own hands, still unsure, but willing to work with this new development. The teenager lunged forwards, both hands out, fingers spread as he reached for the bars. The Moonstone let out a snarl when he made contact with the rocks, the stone crumbling like ashes when he made contact. The needles fell apart immediately, and Varian began to feel braver. His tears began to slow, Varian finally gaining back a little more control over the situation. He brought his hands up to the bars of the cage, a weak smile splitting his face as the rock began to crumble, just like he hoped they would. </p><p> </p><p>“Ę̷͚̠͕̭̰͕͓̯̜̗͓͕̒̀̔̍̄̓̌͗͊̕̚͜͝͝ñ̶̘͙͍͎̲͓̺̱̩̩̼͚̀̓͗̑̾́́ò̸̡͕͔͇̳͔̺̪̜̜̳̪̬͖̱̿͑̀͛͑̀̋͒̓̊ữ̸̘͉̯̺̱̠͛̈́̂̕g̴͇̙͖̈́̈́̋͆̽̌̎̊́̚̕̚̕͠͝h̵̳͕̣̺̠͈̳̥̤̠͉̋̆̓͌̾̕͘͠!” The Moonstone yelled as her cage began to fall apart. Varian was fast, quickly tearing a hole in the bars of the cage to make himself an escape route; he sprang out the second he could fit through, nearly falling down to the platform four feet below. Varian rolled the minute he hit the dirt, just avoiding another rush of the rocks as the Moonstone attempted to snare him again. He scrambled to his feet, already running for the opposite end of the platform. The winds around him howled, reacting to the Moonstone’s fury; his hair whipped in every direction as he ran. Varian’s boots slipped in the dirt, but his only thought was getting as far away from the Moonstone as he could. He could hear the rocks exploding from the ground, getting closer-</p><p> </p><p>Varian turned around at the edge of the platform with a yell. He spun around to face the Moonstone, digging his heels into the dirt and throwing both his hands out in front of him. The rocks leapt up to meet him, ready to tear him to shreds like the teeth of a great, foul beast. Varian screamed something primal, hands coming in contact with the stone; when his skin connected, he felt a sudden burst of magic similar to, but more intense than, when he had connected to the Moonstone in the past.</p><p> </p><p>The energy <em>exploded</em> outwards, a shock of bright white light overcoming both Varian and the Moonstone with a crack like thunder. Winds howled like an injured animal, the swirling void of the Moonstone’s dimension spinning violently. There was a large pulse of energy, nearly strong enough to knock Varian clear off the platform; he was forced to his knees from the force of it, clinging to the glowing rocks with a scream. His hands felt <em>hot</em>, not just from his own blood but from <em>power</em>, pure, unfiltered energy running through his palms and into his body. Varian screamed, clinging to the rocks as the pulsing power grew more intense, the world shifting sideways as he howled his pains into the swirling void beyond.</p><p> </p><p>Stars swirled, galaxies broke apart and reassembled before his very eyes, and all the while the wind <em>howled</em>. Varian’s hair was tossed in every direction, the boy screaming as another wave of energy shocked him, digging deep into the crevices within him. The heat was worse this time, Varian wailing as he felt the skin around his hands burning away as if lit by a match, or acid, or <em>something-</em></p><p> </p><p>The light got even worse, brighter than the sun with every pulse. The waves of energy got worse and worse the longer he held out, the light getting so bright he couldn’t even see anything anymore. The noise was intense, making Varian’s ears ring so badly he couldn’t hear his own screams. Varian’s eyes snapped shut at the light, holding tightly to the rocks. The Moonstone let out a feral screech, lunging forwards as the energy grew too much to bear.</p><p> </p><p>Then, silence.</p><p> </p><p>When Varian opened his eyes, he was looking to the ground. He was precariously balanced on his knees, sinking under his own weight. Varian blinked with confusion, between the energy and his own ringing ears, he felt disorientated… the world slowly began to fit back into itself, slotting back into place piece by piece. Varian slumped slightly, refusing to let go of the rocks in his hands, using them to hold himself up. He gripped them a little tighter, breathing in the reek of brimstone. The silence was deafening, even as the ringing in his ears began to settle. Varian huffed a breath, leaning his weight a little more into the stone pillars, but shuddered as the rocks began to <em>crack</em>. They shattered like glass, breaking apart like the fragile obsidian they so resembled, glowing a bright blue.</p><p> </p><p>Varian sank down just a little more, seeing the hem of the Moonstone’s ruined dress as she flickered back into view. His gaze snapped up, noticing with a start that the woman in front of him had cracked just as the stone had. In a very literal way, half of her face had shattered, spiderwebbed fissures running along the left side of her face, from eye to chin. She didn’t seem to notice, howling at Varian with a barely contained rage.  </p><p> </p><p>“Why do you still <em>fight me</em>?” The Moonstone spat, “We could be <em>so much</em> Ṁ̷̟͈̣̗̦̳͓̫̯͈̖̠̑̈́ơ̴̛͕̖̆̋̆̆͑̎̂͋̾̿͊͛͊̽̄̃̐̄̇̓͘͝͠r̴͕̞͒̍͗̃͊̿͑̓͒̒̔̇̈̒̓̊̑͝͝e̶͙̩̯͉͈̬̖̋̇̐͊̀̓̊̍̓͛͝ together! We could be a <em>God</em>!”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t <em>want that</em>!” Varian yelled back, thinking of the damage she’d caused- the damage <em>he’d </em>caused. He remembered destroyed forests, trashed mansions… Thought about ruined mountain paths, torn apart floorboards, blood dripping down the arms of someone he loved- </p><p> </p><p><em>Hugo</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s heart skipped a beat at the name. Hugo, who’d tried to save him. Who’d looked a celestial, eldritch evil in the eye, and told it to <em>piss off, </em>just to protect him. Hugo, who’d given up his life, his home, his mentor, for Varian.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo, who <em>loved him</em>.</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone’s brow arched, and, for the first time, she seemed confused by Varian. The cracks in her skin shifted as she did, fissures opening and closing as she moved, chunks of marble skin grating against each other with tiny, gritty noises. “For him?” She asked incredulously, knowing exactly where Varian’s thoughts had gone. </p><p> </p><p>“For him.” Varian grit out. “But also, for <em>me</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Her eyebrows shot up as he stood on shaking legs. His hands left what was left of the rocks, Varian standing more firmly as he got his feet under himself. “I hate you-” He said, voice like steel. “-and I always will. But you don’t control me anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>Her face was a perfect picture of cracking marble. Her face contorted in fury, some of the smaller pieces of her skin dropping into the dust of the platform below them. The cosmos swirled around her, a dreadful halo of stars and galaxies, churning from her rage. “You don’t intend to go to the Ś̷̡͙͎̄̓͂͐̎͛́̌̓̕ù̵̡̨͇̻̮̖̾̊̂ń̸̘̰̺̗͉͌̏̓͊̇̈́̊̿̂͑̚d̴̙̀̇̈́̒͐̄̽̄̽̐͆͝͝r̸̤̳̦̊̈̿̈́͂̌̚o̷̥̣̙̿̋ṗ̸̱̞͓͖̤̱̞͓̖̹̠̩̯̯̋̅̽͑,” She said, “Do you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not a chance.” Varian responded. “But that’s <em>my </em>choice.”</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone scowled, lunging forwards. “It was <em>never</em> your C̶̢̛͚͉̫͎̼̭̋̉̑͋̃̽̽̊̓̾͘͝͠h̸̺̉̑ô̸̖̣̳̹̭̱̈́̋̎͛͘i̸͍̲̾c̸̛͖̊̃̈́͑̃̑͗̌e̴̛̙̬̗͖̩̺̼̖̎͗̂̏̇͛̋̈́-” She hissed, her hand a claw as she reached for Varian’s face. She drew closer, the platform suddenly very small between the two of them. Varian flinched, waiting for the blow to hit as she swiped at him-</p><p> </p><p>It never came.</p><p> </p><p>Varian recoiled as her hand drew near, only to see her stop short as if hitting a wall. The Moonstone looked at her hand with something almost like shock, bringing her hand back for a second before trying again to bring her clenched fist down upon him. This time the force of it made her hand bounce, a crackle of blue lightning in the shape of a dome appearing over Varian before disappearing with a flicker. The Moonstone reeled, surprised, and glared at her hand with a scowl. Varian could see how it too had begun to crack, small fissures spreading up her hand from where it had slammed into the invisible barrier. Her broken hand clenched into a fist, the woman raising it high above her head.</p><p> </p><p>A sudden pulse of power brought another wave of black rocks up, stabbing from the floor towards Varian. He didn’t move, eyes locked on the flickering image of the Moonstone’s shattered scowl. The rocks slammed into Varian’s little barrier, cracking apart as they bounced off the invisible field. Varian didn’t flinch as tiny fragments of the rocks clattered to the ground, a few very nearly missing his face from the force of it. There was a beat of silence between them, Varian and the Moonstone glaring each other in a silent battle of wills. Her cracked face broke first, a large chunk from under her eye falling to the dirt. Varian could see the hole left behind, glowing a blinding blue.  </p><p> </p><p>The boy felt his face creep up into a smirk, locking eyes with the Moonstone. “You’re not in control here.” He told her, not breaking her gaze as she grit her teeth. “<em>I am</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>He felt something in him connect deeply to something in the earth, something older than Varian, or Corona, or even the earth itself. Something so ancient, so in tune with the universe that it felt like gravity, always there, ever constant, neither good nor malicious, something that just <em>was</em>. Varian brought a hand up, feeling a familiar spark within as his hair began to glow. He felt the tickle of it leaving gravity’s hold, raising up and flowing just as it always had. His vision blurred, and he knew his eyes were glowing once again. It felt like coming home, like a missing piece of himself was slotting back into place.</p><p> </p><p>It felt <em>right</em>.</p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone snarled at him, something nearly animalistic as she rushed forwards. Her hands were clawed, nails seeming unnaturally long and sharp, glinting in the purple, swirling light of the cosmos around them. Varian stood his ground, feeling more than seeing the rocks explode from the ground below them, springing up in a perfect circle around him, spikes pointed outwards. The woman was forced to stop, her face pulled into a fury he know was unnatural. She tried again to lunge for him, but was forced back once more as she unwillingly dodged another volley of the rocks; she’d risk getting impaled, if she didn’t.</p><p> </p><p>Her originally perfect hair was wild, messy and frazzled. The tears in her dress were leaking small, jagged pieces of her skin, like marble stars dropping from the fabric. The blue glow leaked from all the places where she was falling apart, the light coming from somewhere within her. The Moonstone looked near feral, the wild glint in her eye betraying the false human façade she’d been putting up, the cracks in her skin getting deeper and wider, nearly covering her entire face. Her blue eyes were glaring at him, even as they began to crack like glass under too much stress.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s face split into a smile, looking at the thing that had been terrorizing him for the past eighteen years. The Moonstone split near in twain, her face fracturing into tiny pieces as she crumbled. There was no blood, it was like shattering a marble statue as the energy tore her to shreds; Varian could now see that the bright blue glow originated in the center of her chest, a shining heart, the last thing keeping her standing.</p><p> </p><p>The last thing keeping her hold over him alive.</p><p> </p><p>He moved the hand that was in the air closer to his face, his expression settling into something more neutral. He looked to her, seeing nothing but frustration and rage in her eyes as she glared at him, swinging one more try to claw at him, missing by a wide margin. Varian’s hand drew itself up in preparation to snap, looking her dead in the eye.</p><p> </p><p>“Ȩ̸̰̹̬͈̹̦̥͍̖̝̻̫͚̟̭͉͌̅̓̓͌̊̂̇̈́̾̂̄̉̈́̓̓̿̏͋̕ṋ̴̢̡̡̛͚͍̜͖͔̤͍͇͉̞̺̞͚̻͙̝̟͇͓̥̟̠̱̟̻͕̳̯̩̳͎͉̗̝̣̱͈͓͉͛̓̋͒͆̉͂͋̋̓͗̽̌̓͌͒̉͊̆̍̔͌̀͗̽̌̈́̎̄̊͆͆͂̈́͊͂̉͌̿͐͗̆͗̐͒́̿͆̽̐̃̉̈́̌̈́̏̓͘̕̕͘̚̕̕͘͘͜͠ơ̴̧̢̢̨̡̡̡̹̬̟̭̳̼̬͕͔̪͍͇͕͙̥̩̰̣͔̞͙̱̟̘͖̩̙͓̘̱̪̟̬̩̞͙͔͕̦̞̗̪̝̘̱̬͉̟͍̭̈́̄͋̄͒̏͆̎͌̌͊̐̃̂͑̅͆͗͂̐̿͊͆͌̆̕͜͜͠͝ͅư̸̢̡̧̢̢̡̡̲̩͚͈̥̗̳̘͚̟̳̗̲̜̙̫̜͙̙̯̫̥̜͓͕̭̗͙̺̝̮͚̣̹̥͆͐̄͂̋͗̽̓̇͛̓̑̆̎̓̄͋̈́̃̆̂̍̅̃̇́͛̅͐̈̓̿̏̅̒̀̃̓̄̾̈́̃͂̏͑͗̕͘͜͠ͅģ̷̨̡̙̣̹̤̬͍̺͔̘̳͔̤̲͔͉̭͎̦͓͇̪͙̥̖͈̳̰͈̹͈̙̬͎̥̘̮̣̱̰̜̮̲͈̥͍̬͈̳̇̚͜͜ͅh̷̨̡̧̛̛̰̰͚̠͚͚̗̩̺̳̼̙͓̬̻̝͕̜̱͉͎̺̮͖͈͕̦̰͚̹̜̲͎̯͉̯̫͔̣̄̀͊͗̀̐͆̆̑̒̈͂̇͊͊̈́̌͆̔͐̔̎̈̇̂́̈́͑̽̔͊̏́̉̂̈́͗̐̍̿̇̃͐̀͠͝͠͠͝͝ͅ.̸̧̨̢̧̛̛͓̻̤͕̭̞̭̦̱̣̙͓̰̣͔͓̫̤͈͈̫͇̟̞̖̻͕̬͍̟̯̟͉̺͍̰̰̘̥̣͕̫̟̲̖̪͚̼̱̻͓̳͈͓̪̖̫̦͙͕̭̤̹͑͆͛̍́̌̆̈̔̽̌͌̓̋̍͌̄̓͋̿̃̇͒͐̈́̈́̔͐̔̏̂͊̓̐͌͛̀̅͘͘̕̚̚͜͜͝͠͝͠͝͝ͅͅͅ” He said, voice like steel.</p><p> </p><p>He snapped his fingers, and the world tore itself apart.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Hugo, strangely enough, actually woke up again. He was still slumped against the wall of the tower, leaning up against the smooth, cool wall. His brain fuzzed in and out for a bit, Hugo propping himself up against the obsidian wall behind him. He could feel a terrible, wet heat spreading from near his hip- how long had he been knocked out? It couldn’t have been that long, the sunrise was long over but it still seemed to look like early morning from the view out the window… there was a horrible crick in his neck though, so long enough for <em>that</em> to happen. Hugo groaned his discontent into the silence of the room, noting that the energy from before seemed to have dissipated. Instead of an electric current running through the air, there was only a silent resignation, almost like you’d feel in a tomb. Hugo’s arms subconsciously tightened around Varian’s limp form, the smaller boy still thankfully tucked into his protective grip. The pain in Hugo’s side from the still bleeding wound was a throbbing agony, but wherever the Moonstone had gone, he was ready to fight it-</p><p> </p><p>Varian began to glow.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo startled as the light grew, not overly intense for Varian but enough that Hugo tensed, expecting a wave of the rocks, or the world to start shaking again, or for <em>her</em> to show back up-</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out an unattractive snort, his face scrunching up like a little kitten’s as he began to move again, drowsy little shifts of his weight as Varian finally woke up. Hugo laughed slightly, hugging Varian just that little bit tighter to himself before loosening his grip. A part of Hugo wanted to run, to set Varian up as comfortably as possible and leave before the inevitable storm that Hugo had coming, to run away before Varian could wake up and tell Hugo <em>exactly</em> where he could shove his apologies-</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s baby blue eyes fluttered open, and Hugo’s brain stopped working when he saw Varian smile.</p><p> </p><p>“’ey, Hugo.” Varian said drowsily, voice thick with sleep. “What’d I miss?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, you know.” Hugo said before he could really think, his voice just as worn out as Varian’s, “This and that. Nothing too crazy.”</p><p> </p><p>It really was as easy as breathing, this stupid back and forth they did. Hugo had craved it, he realized, longed to return to that causal rapport they’d had before Donella. He’d <em>missed it</em>.  It had been two weeks, after all, two weeks since they’d spoken to each other as anything other than enemies; but here they were, just as effortless as it had been before. Hugo felt something in him lift, a weight he didn’t know he’d been carrying rising off his shoulders. Varian’s face split into a lazy smile, seeming to finally realize how close he was to Hugo.</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds boring.” Varian muttered, sitting up from Hugo’s lap. The blond felt a pang of loss when Varian moved, but the smaller boy surprised him by snuggling closer once he was upright. Varian buried himself into a proper hug, clinging close to Hugo of his own accord; his long, thin arms wrapped up around Hugo’s neck, drawing them close together. Hugo felt himself pause, unsure how to proceed as Varian wrapped himself around the taller teenager as much as he was able. He was struck by the memory of two weeks ago, that night at the campfire, right after the Moonstone had tried to rip Varian from him. The warmth of Varian’s body pressed up against his own, looking to Hugo for safety and comfort, was something that the blond could see himself getting used to very quickly. Even the pain in Hugo’s side seemed unimportant, with the warm weight of Varian in his arms-</p><p> </p><p>“You’re supposed to hug me back.” Came a small voice, muffled from where Varian had shoved his face into Hugo’s shoulder. Hugo’s body stuttered back to life, returning the hug with a sudden vigor. His arms wrapped around Varian’s waist, seeming all the smaller without Varian’s usual billowing shirts and vest. Hugo pulled Varian in tightly, content to let himself have this, even just for a while. The ache in his side persisted, but he ignored it.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s good to see you, Sweetcheeks.” Hugo murmured, burying his face into Varian’s hair. “Really, <em>really</em>, good.”</p><p> </p><p>He felt Varian smile into his shoulder, something small but genuine. The moment was quiet between them, a soft, sweet thing. Hugo squeezed Varian as tight as he could, burying his face into Varian’s hair once more, savouring the time he had before this would inevitably be ripped from him.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s good to see you too.” Varian whispered, clinging just a little tighter to Hugo. “I was worried she’d killed you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah,” Hugo murmured, “No one can kill me, trust me, they’ve tried.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian snorted a laugh, pulling away and starting to stand. The glow faded from his hair, sinking back into its usual black. It flopped down in that cute little way it always had; Hugo had never felt his heart stutter like it did when he got a look at those baby blue eyes. Varian stood tall, looking around at the tower with wide eyes. He ran a shocked hand through his black hair, trying to bully it back into place.</p><p> </p><p>“Holy <em>shit</em>.” He said, his voice echoing through the cacophony of needle-like rocks left sticking out from the floor; the room looked like a pincushion. “What the hell was she <em>doing</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>“I think she was trying to attract the Sundrop.” Hugo shrugged, standing as well. His side burned, even when Hugo shoved a hand overtop of it, Hugo didn’t dare look down- he knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. Varian bit his lip, looking around again, noting the throne, the window, the whole tower being made of the rocks. His eyes were wide in surprise, trying to take in the chaos of the tower’s throne room with a sort of shocked detachment. He’d effectively been asleep for its creation, only flicking in and out of consciousness for the fight; this was the first time he was really seeing the tower and Varian couldn’t say he liked it very much at all.</p><p> </p><p>Even Hugo felt a difference. The tower, when the Moonstone had been in control, had been like an extension of herself, power pulsing in time with her heartbeat and following the ebb and flow of her emotions- with her sentience gone the tower had died with her. It was quiet, broken. Hugo could see that the rocks had lost their sheen, much like Varian’s armor had when he’d been separated from it. It felt like a graveyard, quiet and <em>dead</em>. Varian seemed to have the same feeling, bringing his arms up to hug himself in comfort as he looked around once again.  </p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t know it could pull anything off like-<em>WOAH!”</em> Varian’s observation was cut off by a sudden rumbling- the tower shuddering like a house of cards. Hugo’s free hand went to the wall, holding himself up as the tower wobbled precariously; Hugo could literally feel it start to <em>sway</em>-</p><p> </p><p>“Uh, Goggles?” Hugo said, fear lacing his tone, “You wanna maybe stop the <em>shaking</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not me,” Varian said back, just as nervous, “I… I don’t think I can control the tower like she could… and now she’s gone so-”</p><p> </p><p>The tower let out an agonized groan; the first stalactite to fall from the ceiling shattered into a million pieces on the obsidian floor. Both teenagers let out a scared yelp when it did, Varian quickly backing up into Hugo as shards of the rock flew everywhere. The floor rattled under their feet, the tower’s shaking getting worse as the seconds ticked by.</p><p> </p><p>“You said they were indestructible!” Hugo yelped, snatching Varian close the minute he was within arms reach. Varian leaned close to Hugo, pressing into the taller teen’s hold even as Hugo kept talking. “I thought nothing could break them.”</p><p> </p><p>“Except themselves,” Varian whispered in horror, eyes going wide. “And they’re not immune to gravity… we gotta go!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo couldn’t agree more, especially as another stalagmite crashed to the floor. This time, however, instead of shattering like the first, it punched through the floor like it was nothing, leaving a hefty hole right in the center of the room. It broke the tips off a few of the smaller spires on the way down, the smaller rocks snapping like twigs. After the larger rock had ripped a hole through the floor, there was a long beat of silence, followed by a sudden, distant <em>crash </em>from far down below. Both Hugo and Varian realized what had happened at the same time- it had plummeted the height of the tower before slamming into the floor on the ground level.</p><p> </p><p>Varian seemed to get his head together first, grabbing Hugo by the hand and dragging him from the room, the two of them sprinting towards the long flights of stairs as the tower began to crumble without the Moonstone’s influence to keep it solid. They burst through the doors to the throne room; as if encouraged by the previous two pieces, more and more parts of the ceiling began to fall, crashing into the floor. The pair narrowly missed being brained by a few of them, Hugo tugging Varian out of the way from one particular projectile that had very nearly driven deep into his skull.</p><p> </p><p>They ran for the stairs, Hugo nearly slipping on the polished stone. Varian had better balance, used to using the rocks as a platform. Hugo was forced to occasionally use Varian as support- between their combined exhaustion and Hugo’s currently bleeding <em>problem</em> near his hip, neither of them were really in the best shape to be running for their lives.</p><p> </p><p>“Can’t you fix it?!” Hugo yelped as one of the stairs he’d been standing on slipped from its perch, falling down the open, empty interior of the tower. There was another large <em>bang</em> from down below, the noise echoing with many others as the tower began to fall apart faster and faster.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know!” Varian cried. His hand was tight in Hugo’s, betraying his stress. Hugo could feel it shake. “This is too big a structure, I haven’t had enough practice!”</p><p> </p><p>They kept running.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s lungs were on fire, legs burning as he pumped them as fast as he could go. Varian’s hand in his own was a solid weight, just barely keeping the panic pushed down. Hugo eventually overtook Varian due to his longer legs, even despite his injury. Varian had two weeks worth of exhaustion and malnourishment to deal with; Hugo eventually found himself dragging Varian down the stairs, rather than vice versa.</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a sudden scream, skidding to a stop and pulling Hugo back to him. There was a great <em>crunching </em>noise, Hugo looking up in shock to see Varian’s hand raised, pulling a shelf of the black rocks out from the wall above their heads, making something almost like a roof. Hugo nearly asked what he was doing- <em>they needed to go-</em> but stopped when there was a sudden <em>bang</em> from above. Hugo’s teeth rattled in his skull at the impact. Chunks of rock bigger than Hugo’s head rained down from the sides of the shelf, whatever had hit shattering into pieces. If Varian hadn’t pulled them back, they both would have been crushed-</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shuddered, and felt Varian’s hand cling tighter as they took off down the stairs again.</p><p> </p><p>When the pair finally hit the bottom, the main hall was in shambles. There were massive chunks of the tower sticking out from the floor, some had gone clean through into the dirt below. Debris continued to fall, massive pieces slamming into the floor and cracking open like an egg. Razor sharp fragments were tossed with every <em>slam</em> of rubble into the floor, shattering apart and going flying. Varian knocked one away with his armored arm, a flick of his fingers thickening the obsidian around his arms into something of a pair of gauntlets.</p><p> </p><p>“Where’s the door?” Varian asked frantically, grimacing when another fragment slammed into his makeshift shield. Hugo pushed his back to Varian’s, keeping an eye on the higher levels and guiding Varian away from falling chunks of stone.</p><p> </p><p>“About that…” Hugo trailed off moving them away from one particularly large chunk of rock as it plummeted from somewhere around the fifth story of the tower. Hugo chanced a look over his shoulder, seeing Varian’s frustrated expression and quickly turning around.</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a cry as a larger piece hit his arm, bouncing off. The smaller boy finally seemed to lose patience, his hair lighting up that teal blue it always had, Varian quickly raising a hand towards the closest wall. Varian ripped a hole in the wall like it was tissue paper, a small flick of his fingers tearing it apart. Chunks of the rocks rained down on them as they sprinted for Varian’s slap-dash exit, the two of them barreling out into the open world as the tower continued to fall behind them.</p><p> </p><p>They didn’t stop once outside, running as far as they had to, the pair nearly collapsing on the edge of the grove. It wasn’t much better outside, the earth rattling with each <em>slam</em> of rock into dirt. Hugo’s hand found Varian’s eventually, the two of them stepping in tandem as they ran. Both of them gasped for air through the dust and debris, coughing violently. Eventually they were forced to slow, a good distance from the tower’s dissolving corpse. Their linked hands never let go, even when they heard a deafeningly loud <em>bang</em> from the tower, like something structural had snapped.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo and Varian turned around to see the Moonstone’s tower begin to fully crumble in on itself, the spires breaking apart from the main building and falling to the ground like a lance. They speared deep into the earth upon impact, slicing through the stone and dirt like butter. The main structure began to crumble inwards, too fragile under its own weight without the Moonstone to hold it together. It fell inwards, the topmost level dropping first and taking the rest down with it as it fell. Hugo absently pulled Varian closer to himself using their joined hands; Varian went willingly as they watched the destruction together. Varian’s free hand came up to grab at Hugo’s shirt, clinging tightly as Varian pressed close to the taller teen.</p><p> </p><p>They watched with a fascinated horror as the tower fell, the pieces driving so deep into the earth upon impact they immediately buried themselves, plunging deep into the ground. The world shook at the hits it was taking, Varian and Hugo clinging to each other to stay upwards as the world rattled to its very core. Hugo tucked Varian close to his chest, burying his face into black hair as dust flew up around them. The world went grey, the air so thick with dirt and shards of rock that Hugo couldn’t see three feet in front of them. He curled himself over Varian, tucking the smaller boy tightly against him as the tower let out on final scream, a massive plume of dust and smoke rose as it fell to the earth.</p><p> </p><p>The world went silent, but neither Varian nor Hugo moved.</p><p> </p><p>Varian burrowed his face into Hugo’s chest, clutching tightly to the green fabric of Hugo’s shirt. Hugo clung to him, trying to shield Varian as best he could as the dust finally began to settle. When the blonde chanced a look up, he saw where the tower had been, sunken into a massive sinkhole if its own making, the weight too much for the hollowed-out earth underneath. Hugo shuddered, his arms tightening around Varian by just a bit more. The tower was gone- but they’d almost gone down with it.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s hands uncurled, leaving Hugo’s shirt slightly stretched. His hands instead lay flat on Hugo’s chest, looking up at the taller teen. Hugo tried to avoid his gaze, but still found himself getting caught by those baby blues. Varian looked like he’d been through hell, a few new cuts on his cheeks; the smaller boy was covered in dirt and sweat, still healing from his <em>stay</em> with Donella.</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked like he’d taken a walk through hell.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay? Why would you risk yourself like that?” Hugo asked weakly, seeing the blue streak in Varian’s hair once more.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine… and some things are worth it.” Varian replied vaguely, refusing to meet Hugo’s eye.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo had a smarmy smile on nonetheless, and Varian could feel himself turning red. He pushed himself out of Hugo’s embrace, not roughly but firmly, walking away enough to watch the dust settle around the giant crater where the tower once stood. It was massive, at least fifty meters in diameter, almost like a sinkhole had taken everything around it. The corpses of unlucky trees stuck out haphazardly, the crater itself nearly twenty meters deep in some places. The earth and stone looked like it’d been tossed into a blender, tossed akimbo by the tower’s violent end. Varian could hear Hugo shift behind him, but couldn’t quite turn away yet; he stared at the crater in silent horror.  </p><p> </p><p>“Aw, Glowstick, I didn’t know you cared.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t,” Varian pouted, ducking his head down and now refusing to meet Hugo’s eye as his face flushed with a dust of pink. “But I still need someone to guide me.”</p><p> </p><p>They both knew he didn’t.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo leaned against a tree, finally calming now that the tower was gone. The burn of his lungs started to abate, now that he finally could be still for a moment, but the general aches and pains were only getting worse. He could feel the soreness in his arms and legs, especially, the slow pain starting to take over. The pulsing agony in his abdomen was getting worse, even when he had kept his hands over the wound. Blood loss, he realized slowly, as his head began to spin. He finally looked down to the wound above his hip, lifting his hand at last. Hugo’s head began to spin at the sight of so much torn skin, his pale hand coming away a concerning crimson.</p><p> </p><p>Varian was looking to where the tower had sunk back into the earth, eyes scanning around for any sort of disturbance that would indicate the rocks returning. Hugo watched the way the light played off his black hair, a dopey smile taking over at the sight of the shorter teen. <em>Varian was okay</em>, the spark of joy in his heart told him, <em>he’s fine, he’s okay, he’s whole</em>-</p><p> </p><p>Hugo felt the impact more than the fall as he dropped to the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo?!” Varian yelped, whipping around at the noise. Hugo groaned as he hit the earth, as his legs went out from under him. “Hugo, what happened?”</p><p> </p><p>“S’nothing.” Hugo slurred, rolling slightly so he was flat on his back. The sky looked really nice today, he noticed, bright blue like Varian’s eyes. “Just a little flesh wound. No worries!”</p><p> </p><p>Varian let out a strangled noise when he saw the bloody stab wound just above Hugo’s right hip, his hands flailing in panic. “Why didn’t you say something?!” He cried, already shoving Hugo’s limp hands away from the wound, “Why are you only bringing this up now you idiot, when the hell did this happen?!”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s eyes flicked from the sky to Varian’s face, the dumb smile getting all the larger. “Hey, Sweetcheeks!” He slurred, “When did you get here?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Son of a bitch</em>,” Varian muttered, already trying to figure out what to do. He bit on his lip, trying to work his way through what he had to work with. In terms of medical supplies they didn’t have a damn thing, in terms of alchemy they had whatever they had on them. Varian used one hand to frantically search Hugo’s pockets, finding a few compounds but nothing overly useful. A search through his own pockets gave Varian even less to work with- the only thing Varian had on him was Lukas’ knife and the sad little broken pendant-</p><p> </p><p>Wait.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, <em>shit</em>,” Varian muttered, “Oh, shit, okay, I’ve got it- but you’re about to hate me.” The last bit was said with an apologetic look towards Hugo, who was getting paler by the second.</p><p> </p><p>“Couldn’t hate you, G-goggles,” Hugo said with what was probably supposed to be a flirtatious smile. “It’s <em>impossible</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian bit his bottom lip, trying to ignore the fluttering of his heart at those words. Now was decidedly not the time for that train of thought. Hugo was getting paler and paler, his skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat, his speech stuttered as the shock took over; Varian had to act, and <em>fast</em>. The gears in his head were turning a mile a minute- if he could get the compound from the necklace mixed with a few of the ingredients from the bombs Hugo had on him, it could create enough heat to get the iron knife hot enough to-</p><p> </p><p>Varian winced at the mere thought of the word <em>cauterize</em>… but if it had to be done, it had to be done. Hugo was going to bleed out if they didn’t stop the blood <em>now</em>, and there wasn’t anything else nearby. Now was not the time for panic, as much as the shaking in Varian’s hands demanded it. He quickly took the dagger he’d stolen from Lukas from his hip, holding it in one hand and the necklace in the other. He grit his teeth; Hugo had pulled him back from the edge, now it was Varian’s turn to return the favour.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve got you, Hugo.” He whispered, slowly unscrewing the top half of the necklace. It went easily, made to come apart. The liquid in it sloshed gently, glowing a soft blue. Varian gently put the dagger down, reaching into his own pockets and rummaging around for a few other compounds.</p><p> </p><p>Without any real flourish he made a small cauldron out of the black rocks, the thing springing from the earth with a wave of his hands. He poured the liquid out from the necklace, followed by a few other compounds from Hugo’s bomb, the teen flicking his goggles down as they began to bubble with steam as they mixed together. The heat coming off it was intense, the exothermic reaction violent. Varian took the dagger and held it to the cauldron, holding it in place with the rocks.</p><p> </p><p>Varian grit his teeth as the tip of the knife grew hotter and hotter, looking back to where Hugo was trying to stay awake. He worked to staunch the bleeding in the meantime, tearing a piece of Hugo’s sleeve off to use as a makeshift bandage. It went like this for minutes, Varian trying desperately to keep himself from passing out at the sight of all the blood. If Varian fainted, Hugo would surely be dead by the time he woke back up.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re okay.” Varian muttered to Hugo as he worked, trying to placate the blond. “C’mon Hugo, it’s only a little stabbing, you’re okay.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ha!” Hugo choked out, the laugh making him wince. “Like you’re one to talk, G-goggles, don’t think I didn’t see that time you got a p-paper cut and cry over i-it.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian couldn’t help but laugh around the panicked tears, biting his lip harshly as Hugo brought up a hand to hold onto one of Varian’s wrists. Both of Varian’s hands were firmly pressed over the wound, trying their best to stay the flow. It wasn’t working, the blood seeing through the sleeves and coating Varian’s hands quickly. Hugo’s whole side was drenched, the blood even dripping down to land in the dirt underneath Hugo’s limp form.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Sweetcheeks?” Hugo said quietly, his voice weak and reedy with pain.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah?” Varian asked, eyes flicking from the wound to Hugo’s eyes. He tried to grin, to reassure Hugo, but the smile tasted too bitter. Varian let it drop as Hugo began to pat at one of his wrists.</p><p> </p><p>“I never did t-thank you.” Hugo’s face had something resigned in it. Varian’s stomach turned at the sight of it.</p><p> </p><p>“You can thank me later.” Varian said, biting deep into his lip to keep the tears back.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I need t-to do it now.” Hugo said, “I need to thank you, for seeing the b-best in me- even when I didn’t. You could have given up on me, but you didn’t… so, <em>thanks</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s so corny.” Varian laughed around his sobs, pushing just a little harder on the wound as the blood soaked through the sleeve-bandage and coated his hands; Varian could even feel it sinking under his nails. “Who gave you the right to be that corny?”</p><p> </p><p>“I dunno,” Hugo tried for a grin, but it came out as a grimace. “When did you step down as- <em>shitdamn</em>- chairman, again?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian tried to laugh around the tears, the salt making his vision blur. He turned, seeing that the knife was finally done, the tip of it white hot. He used one hand to keep the pressure on the wound, reaching over and grabbing the knife’s handle with a care he didn’t usually show. Varian only had one real shot at this, or else-</p><p> </p><p>No. No, couldn’t think about that right now. Hugo needed him to be calm. Varian tore at Hugo’s shirt a little, opening up the area around the wound with a quick movement. Hugo gasped in pain at the rough movement, but didn’t flinch too hard. That was a bad sign; Varian grit his teeth as he looked to Hugo for any sort of response, but got none.</p><p> </p><p>Best to just get it over with quickly.</p><p> </p><p>He brought the white-hot knife tip up to the wound. Hugo’s screaming was high pitched as the hot blade contacted skin, the smell of burning flesh immediate. The agony was immense, like nothing Hugo had ever felt before, like a raging fire burning through his skin, like an acid burn amplified. Hugo quickly dropped his head to the ground, letting the shock of it drag him into unconsciousness.</p><p> </p><p>The last thing he saw before going under was a pair of frantic blue eyes.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>When Hugo woke up it was to the sight of a blue sky. His head was tilted so that he could see the edge of the forest nearby. He heard the gentle babbling of a nearby river, the soft whisper of winds through the trees- felt the grass under his fingers instead of glowing stone. Hugo let out a groan, his hands slowly reaching for where he’d been stabbed. To his surprise he only felt a bandage of fabric tightly affixed to the wound, and realized it was a piece of someone’s sleeve.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s eyes traced the forest, looking for Varian. He’d passed out during the whole debacle, that much was clear. His torso ached, but the burning feeling of boiling blood mixed with the agony of white-hot metal was finally gone. He moved his head to stare up at the blue sky, letting out a small huff at the soreness in his… well in his <em>everything</em> to be honest.</p><p> </p><p>A sudden face filled his vision, and Hugo could feel his mouth split into a dopey smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Sweetcheeks!” Hugo slurred as he tried to get the world to stop spinning. “Whazza pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?”</p><p> </p><p>“Saving your ass.” Varian deadpanned, helping him to slowly sit up. Getting off the ground helped, thankfully, being upright at last. There was a dull pain in his abdomen, but nothing close to what it had been before. Hugo sucked in a testing breath, feeling relieved as it didn’t seem to cause too much achiness; if the Moonstone had been less of a sadistic bitch and aimed a little higher, she could have hit him somewhere more important… small victories, he supposed. Varian was biting his bottom lip, Hugo found himself transfixed by the sight.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I appreciate it.” Hugo said, “I’m sure it was a hard choice.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian seemed to pause for a second, thinking, before finally looking back to Hugo, locking his gaze with a frightening ease. “Well, I was going to just leave you, but then I thought… who else is going to get us to Corona?”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo perked up a bit at that, looking at Varian with something fragile in his eyes. Varian smiled back, full of warmth and, dare Hugo say, affection.</p><p> </p><p>“Us?” Hugo whispered, as if scared he’d misheard.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Us</em>.” Varian confirmed with a shy smile. Varian’s face was closer to Hugo’s now, both teens leaning forwards subconsciously. The two of them were almost intertwined, Varian sitting on his ankles in between Hugo’s slightly spread legs. They were nearly nose to nose, so close that Hugo could just lean forwards and-</p><p> </p><p>Varian coughed, flushing and looking off to the forest beyond. Hugo rolled his eyes, reaching up to cup Varian’s cheek. He gently turned Varian’s head to look back at him. Varian’s eyes were wide, but Hugo caught them flick down to his lips and back up again. The smaller boy’s blush deepened at being caught, and Varian only went redder when Hugo leaned forwards a bit, nearly closing the gap between them. <em>Gods above</em>, Varian really was beautiful, those big blue eyes alone were enough to kill Hugo dead, but to see them set into such an adorable face splattered with cute little freckles… it was enough that Hugo had to wonder why he’d tried to hold back at all.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I kiss you?” Hugo asked, silently begging he’d made the right call.</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s eyes went impossibly wide, but after the most stressful beat of silence in Hugo’s life, Varian began to frantically nod. “Y-yeah.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah?” Hugo breathed out, shocked at the answer.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yeah-</em>” Varian’s face split into a smile, the shorter teen already leaning forwards and-</p><p> </p><p>When they finally met, it was like fireworks.</p><p> </p><p>Varian was enthusiastic, maybe a little too much, but his inexperience made it all the more special for Hugo. To know that he was Varian’s first, that he’d chosen <em>Hugo</em> to be his first kiss… well it was <em>electric</em>. Varian pushed forwards, deepening the kiss as it went longer and longer, leaning forwards until he was nearly in Hugo’s lap. His arms snaked around the blond’s neck, clinging close like Hugo would disappear if he let go. Hugo responded in kind, wrapping his own arms tightly around Varian’s waist and hauling him forwards until they were chest to chest. Varian went willingly, even as they separated with a gasp for air.</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked down to Hugo with a dopey smile, his eyes brimming with happy tears. “It’s about time.” He finally whispered, as if scared to break the perfect quiet between them. Hugo snickered, refusing to tear his eyes away from the boy in front of him for a second.</p><p> </p><p>“What can I say?” Hugo snarked back, looking up into electric, baby blue eyes. “It’s all about the teasing, with me.”</p><p> </p><p>When Varian dipped down for another kiss, Hugo could taste his smile.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Black Skies Change into Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Varian comes home... in more ways than one.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was nearly sundown by the time Varian and Hugo finally began to think about moving from the glen. Varian had managed to find some willow bark, giving it to Hugo to chew as a natural pain-killer until they could reach an apothecary, but it wasn’t enough to fully dull the throbbing ache in his side. Varian supported Hugo as they walked through the woods, the blond leaning on him quite heavily as they stumbled from the shadows and into the light together. Hugo let out a sigh of relief when they finally were far away from the tower’s ruins, the blond moving slowly due to the dull pain steadily pulsing in his torso with each heartbeat.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll get you somewhere comfortable,” Varian was saying, “I can make us a shelter, or-”</p><p> </p><p>He was cut off by a sudden chittering, a streak of black and grey bolting from the woods and running up Varian’s body to settle on his shoulders. Varian’s form stuttered in shock for a second, but quickly restarted when he realized what exactly had jumped him.</p><p> </p><p>“Ruddiger!” Varian laughed, bringing a hand up to pet the raccoon, “Oh, I was worried about you, bud! Where have you been?” Ruddiger chittered in glee, rubbing his face up against Varian’s cheek with a purr. Varian rubbed back- Hugo couldn’t help but laugh at the antics.</p><p> </p><p>“Varian!” Twin voices crowed from nearby, both teenagers looking up to see a frantic Hector and Adria running towards them. When they caught sight of Hugo, their pace swapped from a run to a <em>sprint</em>. Hugo let out a choked noise, scrambling around to hide behind Varian. The shorter teen threw up his arms, hiding Hugo from the adult’s glares. They skid to a stop a few meters from the teenagers, Adria reaching for Varian before stopping her hands and clenching them into fists instead.</p><p> </p><p>“What the <em>hell</em> have you been doing?” She asked, her white hair in disarray. “And with him? Varian<em> please</em>, by the Moon, can’t you just listen to us for once in your life-”</p><p> </p><p>“He saved me!” Varian argued, still protecting Hugo with his own body. “He saved me, and nearly died doing it! Adira, <em>aunty</em>, please, just listen-”</p><p> </p><p>“We listened to you before!” Adira finally seemed to fully lose her temper, her voice borderline shrill in the calm, quiet forest. “We <em>listened</em>, Hairstripe, and then you vanished for <em>two weeks</em>! And then-” She cut herself off with an angry laugh, something self-deprecating and mean, “-<em>then</em> when we finally found you? You were half dead and strapped to an <em>autopsy table</em>!”</p><p> </p><p>Varian stepped back in the face of his furious aunt, eyes wide. He legitimately didn’t know how to respond, flubbing his words as he scrambled for something to say. Even Hector seemed a little concerned- if not for Adira than for Varian. Ruddiger chittered nervously from his place on Varian’s shoulders. Adira wasn’t done, it seemed, as her glare snapped from Varian up to Hugo, who flinched. Hugo’s hands dug into the stone armor on Varian’s back as well as they were able, the blond clinging to the smaller boy like Varian was the only thing keeping him alive… though knowing the pair currently aiming for his head, Varian kind of <em>was</em>. As if reading his thoughts, Adria’s eyes narrowed even further, and Hugo felt his heart stop.</p><p> </p><p>“And <em>you</em>.” Her voice was pure venom. “I believe I made a promise.”</p><p> </p><p>She pulled her sword from her back; Hugo felt his lungs stutter. Varian tensed in front of him, shifting so he was fully between Adira and Hugo. The woman hesitated when he did so, gritting her teeth. There was a pause; Varian could see the gears turning in her head. With a sudden, sharp movement she stabbed the tip of her sword into the earth in front of her, slowly pacing around the two teenagers in a wide circle. Her sword made a small <em>skertch</em> in the dirt as she dragged it behind her. Varian shifted so that he was always between Adira and Hugo, following her as she circled around them, his arms out as if to hide Hugo. The blond assumed they looked ridiculous, seeing as Varian was so much smaller than the person he was protecting, but Hugo knew better than to leave Varian’s protective aura.</p><p> </p><p>He appreciated having his head attached to his shoulders, <em>thank you</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Adira seemed to finish her pacing, having made a full circle. Varian refused to back down, even as she ripped her sword from the earth. Around Varian and Hugo was a perfect circle drawn in the dirt, stabbed cleanly through the grass in a diameter of about four meters. She spun her sword around in her hand, the blade whizzing through the air in a wide arc, fixing her eyes on Varian with something challenging in her expression.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright then,” She muttered, “If you think you’re so ready to strike out on your own for good… <em>prove it</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Varian breathed. His arms fell slightly, in shock from the request. “Adira, you can’t be serious-”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m serious.” Adira said, “Deadly so. <em>Prove </em>to me, Hairstripe, that you can handle yourself. If you can finally beat me, then you can go… after we gut Glasses, over there.” Her head nodded towards Hugo, who’s hands clenched a little tighter against Varian’s armor. Hugo could feel Varian’s spine straightening, and it made him nervous. He felt like a coward, hiding from Adira, but he’d prefer to make it through the rest of today alive- after the morning he’d had, Hugo felt like he might be entitled to a break.  </p><p> </p><p>“Goggles,” Hugo hissed into Varian’s ear, “Not to be a downer- I’m sure there’s this whole <em>proving yourself </em>thing going on, and I get that- but neither of us are in any shape to fight.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think I have a choice.” Varian whispered back, his face stony, “We’re not good to fight… so we’re <em>definitely</em> not good to run.” Hugo opened his mouth to continue arguing- Varian looked like he’d been through hell, this was <em>not</em> the time for a family pissing match- but Adria’s voice cut him off.</p><p> </p><p>“Tick-tock.” Her words were loud in the clearing. Both teenagers flinched, looking at each other with twin expressions of resignation. Hugo slowly uncurled his hands from Varian’s armor, something in him nervous at the idea of removing himself from Varian’s side, even by a few feet.</p><p> </p><p>Varian turned his back to Adria, leaning up and hurriedly claiming Hugo’s lips in a kiss. There was a muffled sound of surprise from Hugo, but it died in the face of pure enthusiasm. The blond seemed surprised by it, but took the chance he was presented with, quickly dipping down and deepening the kiss.</p><p> </p><p>Hector made a noise like a dying cat.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo could see the lines in Adria’s face grow deeper, her face morphing into a scowl. The two teenagers broke apart, Hugo instinctively chasing Varian’s lips with his own as they separated. Varian smiled, a soft thing as he looked up to Hugo, but his face quickly hardened into something determined as he turned to face his aunt.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” He said, “Let’s get this over with.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo backed out of the circle, Ruddiger crawling from Varian’s shoulder’s to Hugo’s, as Adira tossed Varian her sword. Varian caught it by the handle, seeming more familiar with it than he had before Donella’s interruption. He bounced the weight of it idly, shifting on his aching feet as Adria held out a hand to Hector. The man tossed her his own sword; she caught it deftly, and gave it a few spins with a sharp grin. Varian seemed unphased by the showmanship, simply taking position and waiting for her to be ready.</p><p> </p><p>Adira paced for a bit, sizing up Varian like a lioness in front of a gazelle. Her eyes were sharp, her grip on Hector’s sword tight as she inspected her nephew. Varian didn’t back down, rolling his shoulders as she tried to intimidate him.</p><p> </p><p>“Last chance.” She said to Varian, “Give up, come home.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo could see Varian’s stance tense, his heels digging just that little deeper into the dirt. “Not happening.” Varian said, in the same, steely tone Hugo was very quickly learning to be cautious of. Adira’s eyes narrowed at Varian; the boy merely shrugged, putting on airs as he tried to keep his guard up.</p><p> </p><p>Then, with a small cry, Adira leapt forwards, swinging her sword in a wide arc.</p><p> </p><p>Varian parried immediately, sparks flying when their blades met. Varian knocked her sword away from him, using the split second to take a jab of his own at his aunt. Adira dodged, leaning backwards and only just missing the tip of the sword as it passed her by. She swung at Varian once more-</p><p> </p><p>And then it got interesting.</p><p> </p><p>Varian, instead of moving out of the way by his own accord, brought up a pillar of stone under his feet and used the force of it to launch himself up into the air. He did a startlingly high flip, up over Adira- Hugo could see a flash of blue behind her, an even larger platform of rock catching Varian and slowing his descent. The rock created a perch about two meters in the air, Varian crouched atop like a gargoyle. Adira spun around, shouting as Varian’s platform violently spread a series of blunted pillars parallel to the ground, nearly slamming into Adira’s chest. She growled, jumping back and slicing at the pillar with her sword.</p><p> </p><p>Varian jumped down from his perch, landing so that it stood between himself and Adira. It split apart, creating a full wall that covered half the circle. Hugo lost sight of him for a second, Varian disappearing behind his structure. Adira went to give chase, but stopped when the ground under her rattled, a series of flattened stones punching up from the earth beneath her feet. She nearly toppled, the woman staggering backwards as she regained her footing. She was forced to slam her sword into the dirt to keep upright, using it as a crutch.</p><p> </p><p>From close nearby, Hugo heard Hector wince.</p><p> </p><p>Adira huffed out a breath, watching as the stone wall disappeared back into the earth. When it was gone, there stood Varian, standing tall in a perfect second position. His arms were bent at exact ninety-degree angles, back ramrod straight; his feet were firmly planted into the dirt. Varian held his sword aloft, focusing the tip of the blade to point right between his aunt’s eyes. Adira huffed a few breaths, her eyes darting around as she began to think. She stood a little taller, looking over her nephew with a new expression- it took Hugo longer than he wanted to admit to finally figure out that it was pride. Adira rolled her shoulders, adjusting her weight as he held her sword up in a guarded position.</p><p> </p><p>“There we go,” She chuckled. “That’s more like it.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian attacked first this time, moving forwards like a black and blue blur. Hugo only just was able to see the blade of Varian’s sword as he swung it, Adira shifting her weight and bringing up a foot to try and kick at Varian’s chest. Varian brought his free arm, the one not holding the sword, up, and with a flash of blue light the armor on his forearm expanded, creating a perfectly smooth circle of unbreakable stone. Adira’s heel connected with the improvised shield, the woman letting out a grunt of pain when her boot roughly hit. She dropped her leg, limping slightly as she withdrew again.</p><p> </p><p>Varian was getting tired, Hugo could see it, but he could also see Adira starting to lose her stance as they both backed off from each other again. Both fighters circled around a few more times, the dust kicking up under their boots in little puffs. Varian’s shoulders were slumping, the weight of the sword slowly starting to weigh him down; Adira seemed to be favouring her left side-</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Adira said, twirling her sword once more as she looked at Varian. “Are you sure about <em>him</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian chanced a look back to Hugo, a shy smile cracking through the determination.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure.” Varian said, turning back to his aunt. She grit her teeth, like she wanted to say something else, but instead opted to move forwards once again-</p><p> </p><p>Varian side stepped her, bringing up another wave of blunted rocks. Adira let out a small, offended yell as they hit her, the woman’s injured foot slipping out from under her as she fell backwards. She rolled, springing back up, but Varian was faster. He coaxed another wave of stone from the earth, forcing Adira to keep moving, the boy easily dodging her hectic swings. He was tiring her out, Hugo realized, keeping her moving so she wouldn’t have time to go on the offensive properly.</p><p> </p><p>Adira was, at the end of the day, a better fighter than Varian was… but she wasn’t invincible- and Varian was <em>smart</em>.</p><p> </p><p>With a sudden cry she leapt forwards, sword pushing forwards into a sloppy lunge. Adira’s footwork was fumbling, solidly planted on the ground but weak in the way she favored one foot over the other. Varian used his shield to knock away the trajectory of her attack, dropping his own weapon and grabbing onto her wrist. He used her forward momentum in a spin, moving her even as her eyes widened with shock. Varian’s hair glowed for a split second, and the ground beneath Adira’s feet split open, a small platform pushing up under her to help Varian as he twisted around and used the energy to throw Adira forwards.</p><p> </p><p>She landed on the ground harshly, a plume of dirt kicking up from underneath her. Her face as the perfect picture of surprise, her eyes wide as the dust around her settled. Adira let out a grumble as she rolled in the dust, coming to a harsh stop and jumping into a crouch-</p><p> </p><p>Until she paused, looking down with a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>Before her was the ring she had drawn, still carved into the dirt in a perfect line. She had been thrown clean out of the circle, with only Varian left inside. Her face turned up to see her nephew shrink the shield on his arm back down, allowing it to disappear into his armor again. She stood with a pointed grin, letting her own sword clatter down to the ground.</p><p> </p><p>Varian had won.</p><p> </p><p>The boy huffed for breath, looking ready to faint. Hugo was finally able to move forwards, running the few meters over to Varian and looping one of Varian’s arms up over his shoulders. Varian’s hand grabbed tightly onto Hugo’s support- his eyes were full of gratitude as he leaned closer to Hugo with a tired sigh. Ruddiger slipped down to the ground when Hugo moved, cooing as he weaved between their feet. Hugo could feel Varian shaking with exhaustion, the tremors overtaking Varian even as he tried desperately to stay upright. Hugo shifted his grip, trying to take more of Varian’s weight despite the fact that his hip still burned.</p><p> </p><p>Adira rolled her shoulders, picking her borrowed sword up and handing it back to Hector. She let out a small groan, looking again to Varian and Hugo in the circle. She paused, as if seeing Varian in a new light.</p><p> </p><p>“Well fought, nephew.” She finally said with a dip of her head. Varian returned it, albeit much more clumsily as he tried to breathe through the exhaustion. Adira’s face was beaming in pride, even as she moved a long piece of escaped hair back into place behind her ear. “Well fought indeed.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s hand moved up from Varian’s hip to his waist as Varian began to get his feet back under him. Adira turned to Hector, the two of them seeming to have a conversation without words. Hugo leaned his head a little, burying his face into Varian’s sweaty hair with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Good job, Sweetcheeks.” He murmured. Varian in turn tucked his face into Hugo’s neck; the blond could feel Varian grinning against his pulse point. It made him shiver, tightening his hold on Varian’s waist as Varian’s arm in turn began to draw Hugo closer by the shoulders-</p><p> </p><p>“Varian.” Adira’s voice rang out through the grove. Both teenagers turned to her, seeing her face. “A deal is a deal.”</p><p> </p><p>“I guess it is.” Varian said, looking at her with an arched brow. She moved forwards, Hector following, standing in front of them. Hugo could feel Varian tense- even if Adria had promised it was hard to believe them after they’d lied about Hugo’s abandonment. Varian was willing to move on- but something in him was still wary for Hugo’s safety. Adira’s eyes met his, and the woman seemed to finally concede something. There was yet another beat of silence as she seemed to fumble with the words. She opened her mouth finally, the words seeming to pain her has she said them.</p><p> </p><p>“We just…” Adira trailed off, looking again to Hugo with a small grimace. “You had to pick <em>that one</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian laughed, tugging Hugo closer. The joke had done the trick, it seemed; Varian had relaxed into Hugo’s arms the minute she said it. “I don’t know what happened either.” He said with a happy smile, the expression growing as Adira let out a small laugh.</p><p> </p><p>She looked at the two of them, taking one last resigned breath before fixing Varian with a pleading look. “After you go to Corona, will you at least come home for a bit so I can prove to your father that you’re not dead?” She sounded almost like she was begging.</p><p> </p><p>Varian nodded, “Of course.” He said hastily, “I… it’s not like I <em>never</em> wanted to go home, just. I want to do my own thing for a while. Find who I am.”</p><p> </p><p>Adira winced; Hugo could swear he heard Hector mutter something about <em>goddamn teenagers</em>. Varian’s guardians both seemed to deflate at the teen’s words, Adira especially giving a hefty sigh. Varian finally shrugged, looking away as if ready for them to turn and leave him behind.</p><p> </p><p>Hector grunted at that, moving forwards to scoop Varian up into a rough hug. The boy let go of Hugo, returning it wholeheartedly, grinning into his uncle’s cape. Hector let go, giving Varian one last pat on the shoulder before beginning to draw back. He fixed Hugo with one last glare, pointing a finger at the blond. “I’m <em>watching you</em>.” Hector hissed. Hugo paled, shrinking back towards Varian as Hector disappeared into the trees of the forest beyond.</p><p> </p><p>There was a beat of silence, Varian wringing his hands and looking nervously to where Hector had vanished.</p><p> </p><p>“He’ll be fine.” Adira assured, seeing Varian’s concerned face. “He’s just grumpy.” The woman shrugged, playing it off as a joke, but Hugo could see the resignation in her eyes. Varian bent down, scooping up her sword from the ground and holding it out to her. Her hand rose up, as if to take it back, but she closed Varian’s open fingers back around the hilt with a sigh.</p><p> </p><p>“Keep it.” She said with a weak smile as she let go of his hand once again. “But this time keep better track of it. We’ll make you one of your own, next time you come home.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian grinned at her, eyes brimming with tears. She looked at him with pride, a soft smile crossing her face. Varian lunged forwards, grabbing her in a hug before she could react. She returned it wholeheartedly, nearly lifting him off his feet. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, holding him close.</p><p> </p><p>She clung to him tightly, as if savouring the moment. Adira rocked them slightly, little movements that seemed natural, in the way one holds an infant for the first time. Her eyes were clenched shut, but Varian could feel the slight drip of tears in his hair as she held him close.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ve grown so much.” Adira said quietly, burying her face into his hair just that little bit more. “I remember when you first came into the world; you were so <em>small</em>.” She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her eyes. Hugo heard her clear her throat, looking to the setting sun as she tucked Varian’s head under her chin. “Where did the time go?” She whispered, and Varian sniffled. They clung to each other for just a moment longer, Adira’s arms tightening around Varian a fraction more as her face crumpled in a resigned sorrow.</p><p> </p><p>Adira let out a sudden grunt, pushing Varian away from her gently. There was a beat of silence between them as their eyes met, a silent conversation between the two of them. Varian sniffled again, looking down to the ground. She smiled down at him, lifting his chin with her knuckle. Varian’s eyes were wide when they met hers, filled to the brim with tears that he frantically tried to blink back. Adira’s smile was a mix of emotions, loss, sorrow, resignation… but lacing it all was the solid undercurrent of <em>pride</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“Safe travels, nephew.” She said, her voice cracking.</p><p> </p><p>Varian wiped at his eyes, giving her one last smile before she turned, following her brother into the woods. She vanished between the trees, the sudden silence creeping in with her absence. Varian stepped closer to Hugo, tucking himself into the taller teen’s side. Hugo felt Varian press close, and wrapped himself around Varian as the smaller boy refused to look away from where his family had vanished.</p><p> </p><p>“And with you.” Varian said softly, voice echoing in the quiet of the glen.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>They’d gone back to Donella’s hideout, abandoned after Varian had torn it to shreds, and stolen the caravan from the ruins. Varian paused when he looked at the crumbling corpse of the mansion, realizing with a startle that he couldn’t remember what it looked like before. Both times he’d been outside the mansion he’d been unconscious, either carried in by Donella or carried out by Adira. The mansion was impaled right through by massive spikes of stone, the roof having sunken in to crush the floors below. It was long abandoned, deathly quiet in the evening light. Varian shivered as he looked at it, hugging himself close as Hugo dipped into a nearby barn, hoping to anyone who was listening that Donella hadn’t thought to take the caravan.</p><p> </p><p>Sure enough, there it was, tucked away in the back with a newly repaired back wall. Hugo waved Varian into the barn, delighting at the way Varian’s face lit up seeing the caravan and their trusty steed. Dolos seemed excited to see Varian, braying with unconditional joy at seeing one of his missing humans after weeks. The boy had responded in turn, cooing to the large animal as Hugo rolled his eyes and hitched the caravan to the horse. Varian had taken a second to pat old Dolos on the nose, the horse whinnying softly at the gentle touch. “You’re the best horse,” He mumbled softly, scratching along the animal’s nose. Dolos leant forwards, gently batting his face against Varian’s, the boy laughing at the contact.</p><p> </p><p>They’d led Dolos and the caravan away from the rubble, Varian and Ruddiger guiding as Hugo tried to steer from above. The caravan wobbled over the uneven stone, Varian doing his best to level the way over the bigger obstacles with a well placed use of his powers. Once they were finally clear, on a small hill overlooking the ruined manor, Hugo offered a hand down to Varian to help him up onto the bench.</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon, Glowstick.” He said, “Let’s get you to Corona.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian had found the ending of their trip rather disappointingly quiet, to be honest. The last bit of their journey to the city was borderline <em>boring</em>. No bandits, no voices, no high-speed chases through dangerous mountain paths. It was a relaxing sort of calm; the road was smooth, the weather pleasant, the journey safe. It was a mere two days from the ruins of Donella’s hideout to Corona, even at the leisurely pace they’d set themselves. Varian could see the beauty in the tranquility, at least, just the two of them slowly meandering down the path.</p><p> </p><p>The first time Varian saw Corona, the very top of the tallest spires breaching over the trees, it nearly took his breath away. Hugo stopped the caravan for a second, letting Varian take the sight of the shining city glimmering in the sun, poking through the clouds like beams of light. Varian stared at it for a minute more before turning to Hugo, his grin bright with joy. Hugo felt his heart <em>thump</em> at the sight of it- he swallowed through the lump in his throat.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, you made it.” Hugo said with a soft smile. “What do you want to see first?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian paused for a second, thinking hard. His hands curled into Ruddiger’s fur, the raccoon happily asleep on his owner’s lap. Hugo let him take his time, quietly laughing as Varian chewed on the inside of his cheek in thought. Varian shoved at him, playfully slapping Hugo’s arm with a pout. Hugo only laughed harder. Their teasing slowly trickled away, a soft quiet taking over as Hugo waited for Varian’s answer. The shorter teenager took a second more to think, seemingly unable to make up his mind. Varian finally turned to look at Hugo, his brows scrunching together.</p><p> </p><p>“Everything?” Varian finally said, his voice lilting into more of a question as he looked to Hugo with apprehension.</p><p> </p><p>“I feel like we can pencil <em>everything</em> in.” Hugo grinned back, looking to Varian with a smug smile. The smaller teenager pouted, but his face slowly sank into something soft as Varian looked back out to the glittering spires of Corona in the distance. Varian took hold of one of Hugo’s hands gently, the blond’s smirk dropping at the soft touch. Varian seemed to struggle for a second, his mouth moved as if he wanted to speak, but couldn’t find the words. Hugo waited, feeling the sudden seriousness that had overtaken his companion. Varian finally bit his lower lip, looking up and meeting Hugo’s eye.</p><p> </p><p>“I-I never got to say thank you.” Varian mumbled, his cheeks painted a soft pink “For getting me this far.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo felt his face go bright red, his eyes darting away from Varian’s blushing face. “Don’t.” Hugo muttered, “Don’t thank me. You would have gotten here on your own, and without me you would have never… <em>Donella </em>wouldn’t have-”</p><p> </p><p>“But someone else would have.” Varian said firmly, gripping Hugo’s hand a little tighter. “And no one would’ve been there to pull me back out. So <em>thank you</em>, Hugo.”</p><p> </p><p>The blond stared into Varian’s eyes with shock, feeling his own scrunch up in disbelief. “<em>I don’t deserve it</em>,” Hugo breathed, trying to make Varian understand. Hugo was to blame for everything; why didn’t Varian see that? Why didn’t he hate Hugo and everything he stood for… Varian had saved him from the brink of death, had already done more than Hugo deserved, and now Varian was <em>thanking him</em>-</p><p> </p><p>“You might not-” Varian finally admitted with a dip of his chin. Hugo could see the rejection coming, could feel it stabling deep like a needle through the heart- but Varian kept talking. “-but that doesn’t matter to me. I forgive you, because I <em>choose</em> to forgive you, Hugo. You don’t have to earn my forgiveness because I decided to give it to you.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo couldn’t tear his eyes away from Varian’s, the confusion making him stupid. “I…” Hugo couldn’t find the words, his tongue was heavy in his mouth, it had turned to lead from the absolute shock of the acceptance presented to him.</p><p> </p><p><em>Varian forgave him</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo had been… just awful. An absolute ass. He’d lied for so long, dug them a hole so deep they were nearly buried alive, had nearly gotten Varian killed and then possessed by an eldritch horror-terror in the span of two days; but here was this beautiful boy looking him dead in the eye with nothing but affection and acceptance. Varian looked at Hugo, with his rough edges and rougher past, and had given him forgiveness in return. Not in obligation for something that Hugo had done, not because Hugo had turned around and nearly died to fix his mistakes- but because Varian <em>wanted to</em>.</p><p> </p><p>The burnt flesh above Hugo’s hip, still healing under a layer of salves and bandages, twanged with the reminder of what might have happened if Varian hadn’t forgiven him. A burning pain that told Hugo exactly where he’d be if Varian hadn’t been so kind, so… so <em>perfect</em>. Hugo knew he was staring, knew he was probably tense as a bowstring ready to <em>snap</em>, but Varian only fixed him with a knowing look.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.” Varian said again, leaning forwards to kiss at the corner of Hugo’s mouth sweetly, letting it linger for a second before pulling back and flopping against the wooden bench with a self-satisfied smile. Hugo looked down to where their hands were still together, their intertwined fingers gently squeezing. He brought them up to his mouth, kissing Varian’s knuckles with a reverence he’d never felt before. Hugo didn’t say anything else, but the gentle squeezing of Varian’s hand in his own told enough of a story that he didn’t have to. Varian grinned, looking back out to the Corona skyline with an open smile.</p><p> </p><p>It was only another hour until they were in the woods bordering the bridge to the city, the forest lush and green. Varian had been surprised at the sight of such a healthy forest; the woods of the Dark Kingdom were nothing if not a little <em>scraggly</em>. They’d parked the caravan in a clearing far off the main path, Varian quickly using a small spire of the rocks to pin the wheels in place. Hugo quickly tied Dolos’ reins to a tree, and went into the caravan for his cloak. He came back out to see Varian sneaking the horse an apple; when Varian saw he’d been caught he simply looked Hugo dead in the eye as Dolos munched on his ill-gotten treat. Hugo laughed, the cloak in his hands heavy.</p><p> </p><p>“Here we go,” He said, tossing it to Varian. The green cloak was more Varian’s than Hugo’s by this point, seeing as the shorter teen had all but claimed it after their visit to Dornwich. Varian looked down to the fabric in his hands, pursing his lips in thought. He wrung the cloak between his fingers, gripping tight as the gears in his head turned.  </p><p> </p><p>“What’s up, Sweetcheeks?” Hugo asked, looking over from where he’d went to make sure Dolos was securely tied one last time before they left. “Green not your colour anymore?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian huffed out a laugh, looking up to Hugo with scrunched brows. “I love green.” He said, the meaning not lost on Hugo, “But I think… I think I don’t need to wear this today. It’s too nice a day to spend it hiding.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s smile was crooked with a sense of pride as they put the cloak back into the caravan, leaving it behind as they walked the path to the city together. </p><p> </p><p>Corona was beautiful, shining bright and clean, the spires of the city raising high into the clouds. Varian tipped his face up to greet the sun with open arms. Hugo smiled, reverent at the sight of the shorter teen finally having a moment of peace. Varian’s eyes cracked open, his smile wide and pure. Varian offered Hugo a hand as they stood at the gates to the city. Hugo took it gently, eyes wide at the blissful look on Varian’s face.</p><p> </p><p>They took the first step together.</p><p> </p><p>Corona was busy, but happily so. People milled about, enjoying the sun of a weekday afternoon. Ruddiger vanished into the crowd immediately, off to cause mischief, but Hugo wasn’t worried. Varian’s hand was soft and warm in his, and Hugo found himself squeezing it every once and a while to confirm that Varian was still there. Varian squeezed back every time as the two of them weaved through the main market together.</p><p> </p><p>The city was bright, like stepping into a new world of light. It gleamed in every crevice, every stone perfectly polished, every corner scrubbed until it shined. Varian felt almost out of place in a place filled with so much light, but Hugo still took him by the hand and let him through the crowds. Varian couldn’t help but stare, the city falling by the wayside in the light of seeing Hugo smile. Not his usual sharp grin, not a smirk, but an honest, open <em>smile</em>.</p><p> </p><p>It was something Varian would devote himself to seeing more of.</p><p> </p><p>It was a busy time, the middle of summer. The large, circular plaza was abuzz with people, surrounded by shops on all sides and a smattering of smaller market stalls around as well. The center of the square was emblazed with a mural of the Corona sun, and banners with the same emblem fluttered in the summer’s breeze. A group of musicians were playing in the corner of one of the main plazas, and Varian could see people beginning to dance in the center of the square. He looked at them, probably a little longingly if he were honest with himself, but bit the inside of his cheek. He and Hugo had only really gotten together less than a few days ago, the blond probably didn’t want to dance with Varian quite yet. Besides, Varian didn’t really know how, and Hugo didn’t really seem the type to like-</p><p> </p><p>He was startled by a gloved hand entering his vision, palm up in invitation. He looked to his left to see Hugo, who was steadily ignoring Varian’s eye. Varian raised a brow, and Hugo scoffed, but the shorter boy could see the blond’s face steadily growing more and more red.</p><p> </p><p>“You look like you want to dance.” Hugo muttered, “So either take my stupid hand or stop looking like someone kicked the raccoon in front of you.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian felt his face split into a wide grin, taking Hugo’s hand and letting himself be led out into the crowd of dancers. There was no real organization to the whole thing, people mostly just moving to the rhythm, but Hugo still pulled Varian close and began to guide him along.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, so you just make a box- see, there you go, just follow me.” Hugo said as Varian slowly got the hang of it. Hugo’s hand was a comforting weight on Varian’s waist, his other palm was warm in Varian’s as Hugo led them in a slow, careful circle. They slowly moved, more swaying to the beat of the music together than actually dancing, but no one called them out on it. The music switched to a new song, something slower, and Varian found their motion settling into something softer.</p><p> </p><p>Without thinking he leaned forwards, tucking his head under Hugo’s chin. They swayed together, lost in their little bubble, for some time. Hugo was a solid weight against him, even as their intertwined hands fell. Varian ended up wrapping both his arms around Hugo’s neck, and Hugo’s other hand went to join its twin on Varian’s waist. The fledgling thought of something <em>more</em> came to Varian’s mind once again, and the idea of it made Varian wonder about what would come.</p><p> </p><p>For the first time in his life, Varian was excited to see what the future held for him.</p><p> </p><p>They swayed for just a while longer, the song long over before Varian broke away. He grinned up at Hugo’s beet red face, laughing as the blond flushed all the more. “We should probably go,” Varian said reluctantly, already missing the moment they’d had. Hugo pursed his lips, fully wrapping his arms around Varian just that little bit tighter.</p><p> </p><p>“One more dance?” Hugo wheedled, bending slightly to hook his chin on Varian’s head. The shorter teen couldn’t help but laugh, his own grip on Hugo tightening as well. Varian let out a shocked little laugh as Hugo used the grip to spin them, quickly twisting on his heel as Varian laughed, tightening his arms around Hugo’s neck. Varian was still giggling when Hugo set him down, his feet hitting the cobblestones with a slight stumble that only made Varian sink closer into Hugo’s chest. Varian buried his red face into Hugo’s chest, his chest hitching with each snort. Finally Varian seemed to get control of himself, leaning up to press a kiss to Hugo’s chin.</p><p> </p><p>“One more dance.” Varian conceded, his smile wide.</p><p> </p><p>One dance quickly turned into two more, than three.  </p><p> </p><p>After they reluctantly parted, Hugo eventually lead Varian to a small shop, tucked away at the back of the market courtyard. Their fingers were still intertwined; every time they separated, they always seemed to gravitate towards each other once more. Varian let out a chuckle when he caught sight of the sign, even as Hugo gently bullied him into the alchemy shop.</p><p> </p><p>“This seems familiar,” Varian laughed as they approached a wall of assorted chemicals and ingredients. Their hands reluctantly split as they began to pick through the stock, gently sorting through the beakers until they found what they needed. Varian found his hands stilling as his eyes drifted to Hugo. The blond was chewing on his bottom lip as he sorted through the items, and Varian felt his heart do a little flutter.</p><p> </p><p>It was still very new, this thing between them, but it was easy, in a way. Simple. It made Varian’s stomach full of butterflies to look at Hugo and think <em>he chose me</em>. To know that Hugo saw Varian, all his cracks and dents and missing pieces, and still decided that Varian was the one for him… well it made Varian’s heart feel light. Hugo seemed to feel the eyes on him, perking up and looking back to Varian. This time the alchemist didn’t bother to hide his stare, his face morphing into a dumb smile as Hugo grinned at him.</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon Goggles,” Hugo said, “We still need to find acetone, quit wasting time.”</p><p> </p><p><em>Gods</em> Varian was so gone.</p><p> </p><p>When they left the alchemy shop it was nearly the late afternoon. The musicians were still playing, but the dancing was mostly over. The square was still packed with people, however, and Varian’s hand was solid in Hugo’s to keep them together. The breeze was still there, carrying the smell of flowers and baked goods from the surrounding stalls; the sun was still high in the sky, casting short shadows of the strings of banners overhead. Varian looked out to the people around them, seeing normalcy, the simplicity, and feeling something in him feel… dubious. Maybe it wasn’t being <em>normal</em> he’d wanted, maybe it was simply to <em>be</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Varian caught a flash of brunette hair through the crowd, looking over to where a young woman was surrounded by a large group of people. Her green eyes sparkled, her freckled face bright with a happy smile. The sun caught her purple dress, making it nearly glow with colour. Varian felt something in him reach out to her, a gently pull urging him to move forwards. If that weren’t enough of a clue, the pretty tiara on her head would have been more of a dead giveaway.</p><p> </p><p>Princess Rapunzel, the Sundrop, laughed at something one of her subjects said, her face alight with the glow of the sun itself.  </p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” Hugo said, following Varian’s eye. “Is… is that her?”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s her.” Varian said softly, tilting his head in thought. “I thought she’d be… <em>scarier</em>. She’s supposed to be my perfect opposite, right?”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe <em>you’re</em> the scary one.” Hugo said with a smile, squeezing Varian’s hand as the boy snorted at the thought. “No, really, I know a group of bandits who probably still have nightmares about you.”</p><p> </p><p>“They’d better.” Varian muttered back, watching as the princess began to leave the square, her adoring subjects following her every step.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you want to talk to her, Sweetcheeks?” Hugo asked, “I can stay here, hold the stuff. Go on, if you want to.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s face scrunched in thought, watching her retreating back. Deep within him the Moonstone howled in misery as its prey got further away. There was a beat of silence, Varian’s hand tightly gripping Hugo’s. He looked back to Hugo for a brief second, eyes scrunched with thought as the gears in his mind began to turn. He looked again to the princess, the woman quickly disappearing into the crowd; his window was quickly closing but Varian found that something in him was… content. He looked back to Hugo, biting the inside of his cheek.</p><p> </p><p>“Nah,” Varian finally shrugged, “I- I think I’m good.”</p><p> </p><p>His hand shook slightly, but Hugo’s squeezed it in consolation. “If you’re sure.” The blond said. Varian looked to him with a weak grin, turning away as the princess disappeared into the crowd.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure.” He said firmly.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>Eventually they got everything they needed and found themselves standing back at the threshold of the city once again. Ruddiger had found his way back to them, perching in his favorite spot around Varian’s neck. Hand in hand, Varian and Hugo walked across the bridge and back to the caravan, greeting Dolos before hiding away inside.</p><p> </p><p>The inside of the caravan was exactly as they’d left it, still a horrible chaotic mess of beakers and tools that Varian had very quickly learned to love. Hugo and Varian were on a small bench, sitting side by side in the little lab inside their home, their hands slowly moving around each other as they worked. It was quiet in the best kind of way; the gentle noise of bubbling chemicals intermixed with the occasional scuffle or laugh when one of them got a little too handsy. It was easy, like breathing, to just sit and enjoy the other’s presence. It wasn’t love, not yet Varian would think, but it <em>could be</em>, if they nurtured this thing between them. The thought was exciting, to Varian.</p><p> </p><p>He couldn’t wait to watch it grow.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo’s arms wrapped around Varian as they worked together, the blond nearly leaning on Varian as they passed things back and forth. The little pendant was coated in a viscous, clear goo, which they left to harden for a few minutes as Hugo kissed his way up Varian’s neck. The boy laughed, playfully shoving at him as they waited. Once the substance covering the pendent was tacky, they wiped at the extra with acetone. It left a smooth, stronger surface behind as it filled in the cracks. The glass was stronger than ever, heartier, with the new components added to it.</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked at it with a smile, running his thumb along the newly smoothed surface. He could still easily see the cracks, but they were healed over. Scarred, in a way.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry it’ll never be perfect.” Hugo said with a touch of sadness, his own hand coming up to touch as well. Varian looked up at him with a smile, kissing away Hugo’s frown.</p><p> </p><p>“It looks better this way.” He murmured, turning away and filling the pendant with more of the compound that made it glow. It wasn’t the same colour blue it had been, they hadn’t been able to find <em>quite</em> the right ingredients. Instead of being aqua it was more of a teal colour, just on the cusp between blue and green. Varian looked down at it with a small smile, giving it a testing shake and delighting as it began to glow.</p><p> </p><p>Varian passed it to Hugo, shifting around so the blond could clasp a new, silver chain around his neck. Hugo did so, and once it was in place Varian brought up a gentle hand to hold it. It glittered in the gas lights within the caravan, the flickering flames bouncing light off the repaired glass. Hugo’s hand joined his, and Varian turned slightly to kiss under his jaw.</p><p> </p><p>There was another easy silence for a beat, as Varian turned off their Bunsen burner, slowly placing things back in a semblance of order. Hugo’s eyes never left the pendent, watching it swing gently around Varian’s neck. Varian tipped his chin down with a gentle hand, their eyes locking as Varian grinned.   </p><p> </p><p>“Make me dinner?” Varian asked. He stood as Hugo began to laugh, dodging a swipe to his shoulder and pulling Hugo to his feet. The blond went willingly, the two of them dancing around each other with ease.  </p><p> </p><p>It was a mere hour later that they sat atop the caravan, wrapped in blankets and watching the city of Corona over the trees under the light of the moon. Hugo was sitting with his back against a box that Varian had brought up, and Varian was seated in his lap. Hugo was wrapped around him like a limpet, the two of them looking at the silhouette of the city in the distance. The glow of lights were pinpricks in the darkness, flicking in the evening quiet.</p><p> </p><p>Varian felt Hugo put his chin on Varian’s head, the blond burning his face into the boy’s dark hair. Varian giggled at the sensation, leaning back into the embrace. Fireflies danced around them, gently blinking in the summer air. Ruddiger was asleep near Hugo’s hip, content with a full belly and both his humans safe and sound. Something in Varian felt warm, a small heat settling in his heart that he’d never felt before. Sitting here with Hugo, the world laid out before them with infinite possibilities and all the time in the world to realize them-</p><p> </p><p>Varian realized, with a small grin, that for the first time in his life he was <em>content</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“So.” Hugo’s words were muffled by Varian’s hair, but the younger teen could still hear him. “Was it everything you dreamed it would be?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked out to the city, pondering his answer for a second before turning around in Hugo’s grip. The shift was slow, unhurried, but Varian was firm as he moved. He turned his back to Corona, facing his boyfriend with a smile. The blond looked at him curiously, even as Varian wrapped his arms around broad shoulders and looked him right in the eye. Hugo’s hands settled innocently on Varian’s hips, the taller teen grinning as Varian leaned closer, their noses brushing. There was a beat between them, before Varian’s thoughtful expression split into a happy grin.</p><p> </p><p>“It really was.” Varian said, leaning in for a kiss.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>They didn’t go back to the farm for three months.</p><p>
  
</p><p>It’s not that Varian didn’t want to go back, he missed his father terribly of course, but there was something in him that just… wasn’t ready. He was scared, to be honest. Scared his father would send him away, scared even more so that Quirin might force him to stay. They took the <em>scenic route</em>, as Hugo called it, around some of Corona’s different sites. They visited villages, the occasional large stream, a mountain or two, all the fun places Corona had to offer. Varian could continue on forever, but eventually he knew it was time to head back to the farm.</p><p> </p><p>The time for running was over.</p><p> </p><p>Retracing their steps was something that was almost fun, the two of them taking what Hugo liked to say was <em>the long way</em>. They’d passed through Dornwich, stopping to at least try the pies Hugo had recommended last time. The small town had been almost better the second time around, with the way that they kept feeding pieces of pie to one another as they sat together in the quiet of a non-Monday market day. Varian was sad to see Dornwich go again, even if the knife he’d stolen from Lukas burned in its place hidden in his boot.</p><p> </p><p> After that it was around the mountains, the path through still blocked.</p><p> </p><p>When they finally got around the cliffs Varian couldn’t help but laugh, seeing the sign they’d argued about so long ago, merely a week into their travels. The arrows were damning for sure, it seemed Varian had been arguing for a simpler, flatter, safer path the whole time. Hugo went red, shoving at him with embarrassment as Varian howled with laughter.</p><p> </p><p>The two of them stared at the sign. It seemed to be years ago now, when they’d spent more time ribbing each other like children pulling each other’s pigtails to try and show affection. When the only thing between them had been the chance of something more, not all the history they now shared. One of Varian’s hands went to the necklace around his neck, holding it close, and the other went to hold Hugo’s hand. He leaned over, getting close. Hugo closed the gap, softly kissing Varian silly. When they broke apart, Varian was dazed, kiss drunk and dopey.</p><p> </p><p>The blond grinned, shifting Dolos’ reigns to one hand and snapping them, getting the horse moving once again towards Varian’s family farm. Varian wasn’t sure when the farm had stopped being called <em>home</em> in his mind. It would always be important to him, it was where his family lived, it was where he had been raised, it would <em>always</em> have a place in his heart…</p><p> </p><p>But now? Now home was a rickety caravan and a pair of green eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Varian wouldn’t trade it for a second.</p><p> </p><p>When they’d gotten to the farm properly Varian had been a bundle of nerves. Hugo could see it in the tenseness of his shoulders and the bouncing of his leg as they approached the house. As they ascended the stone steps towards the farmhouse, he hesitated again. Adira had told him that Quirin had been devastated by Varian’s disappearance. Would his father be angry? Or just disappointed?</p><p> </p><p>Varian startled at the feeling of a hand slipping into his, and he looked up to see Hugo softly smiling at him in support. Varian too a deep breath, raising his other hand to knock at the door. It didn’t feel right to just barge in, he needed to be either invited in or sent away. Varian could hear the heavy footsteps approaching the door from inside, and he tensed in preparation. Hugo’s hand squeezed his own, and Varian forced himself to drop his shoulders. One way or another, it would be okay.</p><p> </p><p>Quirin opened the door to the house, looking absolutely <em>wrecked</em>. The man had lost weight, his clothes hanging off his body. He was pale, which only accented the deep bruises under his eyes. Quirin’s hair was in disarray, grown out and wild in a way that looked unkept. The man was a shadow of his former self, striking a sense of guilt so deep into Varian’s heart that he wasn’t sure it would ever leave.  </p><p> </p><p>Varian stared up at his father, the waterworks already starting. Hugo watched sadly as Varian tried to begin, tried to tell his father how sorry he was, but nearly choked on the tears as they began to flow. Quirin looked like he’d seen a ghost, staring down at his son in shock. There was a beat of silence between the two of them, the odd standstill seemingly unbreakable.</p><p> </p><p>Then, in a motion that seemed desperate, Quirin bent down and enveloped his son in his arms.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo let go of Varian’s hand with a small smile, stepping back as Varian started sobbing, clinging to his father like a drowning man to a raft.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry!” The boy wailed, his fingers digging into the fur of Quirin’s vest. “Dad I’m sorry, I’m so sorry-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s father shushed him, bodily lifting his son up and off the stoop. Varian was so small compared to his father, even in adulthood. The man was huge, Varian nearly getting lost in his embrace. Quirin nearly crushed him, clinging so tight like he was worried Varian would disappear if he ever let go. Varian could feel his father shaking, the large hands holding him up clutching tight to Varian’s shirt.</p><p> </p><p>When Varian’s feet finally hit the ground once again, he rubbed frantically at his eyes, trying to stay his tears. Quirin kept a hand on his shoulder, looking frantically into his son’s face, checking for injuries.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” Quirin asked, holding Varian’s face and tilting it in every direction to try and find injury. “Adira and Hector said you were off with a <em>boyfriend</em>, but-” He seemed to notice Hugo then, his face darkening. “Get off my property.” Quirin spat, an arm like a tree trunk wrapping around Varian again, as if to hide him from Hugo. “Get away from my son-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian twisted away, getting between the two of them as Hugo backed off. “Dad, stop!” He yelled, “I dragged Hugo into this, not the other way around!”</p><p> </p><p>Quirin didn’t seem to care, but stopped when Varian put a hand on the center of his chest. Quirin paused, shocked at his son’s sudden intervention. There was a beat of tense silence, Varian meeting his father’s glare head on with one of his own. The hostility was beginning to build again, the teenager could feel it, but he took a deep breath and forced it down.</p><p> </p><p>“Hugo.” Varian said calmly, eyes not leaving Quirin’s, “Why don’t you go check on Dolos? Make sure he’s settled in.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure, Sweetcheeks.” Hugo said quickly, glad to be out of the situation. He left with one last supportive pat to Varian’s hands, before turning and leaving, hopping down the steps and walking back towards the caravan. Varian waited for him to be gone before he finally dropped his hand, looking his father dead in the eye.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not moving back in.” Was the first thing out of Varian’s mouth. Quirin’s face was almost offended, the man’s eyes tracking Hugo’s steps like a dog on a trail.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not safe out there.” Quirin responded, his tone rough. “You’re coming home.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m <em>not</em> moving back in.” Varian repeated, firmer this time.</p><p> </p><p>“You are, it’s not a discussion.” Quirin said, matching his son’s tone with a growl. “You’ve had your fun, but it’s over.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m an adult now-”</p><p> </p><p>“And what? You’re going to run off with some thief? Adira told me all about your little <em>boyfriend</em>, Varian, I don’t approve-”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, in that case it’s a good thing I never asked for your approval!”</p><p> </p><p>Quirin fixed him with an angry look, his brown eyes finally leaving Hugo. “What’s he done to you?” The man spat, eyes snapping back to Hugo’s retreating back. “You’ve never been so, so-”</p><p> </p><p>“Independent?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Stubborn.”</em></p><p> </p><p>There was a beat of silence between them, until Quirin reached down and gently grabbed one of Varian’s wrists, tugging it as if to pull Varian into the house. <em>Ah</em>, Varian thought grimly, <em>it was time to pull out the big guns. </em>He looked up to his father’s gaunt face, the determination in his eyes clear as day.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want to leave forever.” Varian said harshly, “But if you keep insisting that I can’t take charge of my own life- I will leave, right here, right now, and you will <em>never</em> see me again.”</p><p> </p><p>Quirin reeled back like he’d been slapped. His hand left Varian’s wrist, Varian’s voice was strong, despite the way his hands shook. The man looked shocked, staring down at his son as if Varian was a stranger. Varian was far from done, however.</p><p> </p><p>“The more you try to keep me here, the more I’ll try to escape.” He said, not unkindly, but firmly. “There’s a whole world out there waiting for me, dad, and I’m going to see it. Whether you like it or not.”</p><p> </p><p>Quirin raised a shaking hand to Varian’s face. The boy leaned into the touch, hugging his dad’s large arm for comfort. Their hands met, Varian pushing his face into the contact with a distressed sniffle. <em>This was exactly what he’d been scared of-</em>   </p><p> </p><p>“Varian,” Quirin began, and the boy tensed. Quirin struggled with the words for a second, but finally deflated, seeming to shrink. “If that is what it takes, so be it.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian looked up in shock but listened as his father went on.</p><p> </p><p>“When I lost your mother- when I almost lost <em>you</em>, it nearly killed me.” Quirin whispered. “I was so scared… for you- for what the world would do, if it found out what you are. But… here you are.” The hand on Varian’s cheek began to gently rub away his tears, Quirin beamed with something quietly content. “You took the world head on and lived, thrived even.” There was a look in Quirin’s eye, something light as he finally saw the man his son had grown into. “I couldn’t be prouder.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian’s body shook with the tears, hugging his father’s hand tighter. Quirin seemed to finally settle, bending again to pull Varian into another hug. Varian tossed his arms around his father’s broad shoulders, digging his hands into the man’s vest with a sense of desperation. Quirin let him go once again, this time settling a massive hand onto Varian’s shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>Quirin looked up to where Hugo was tending to Dolos, eyes calculating as he looked back to his son. “He makes you happy?” Is all he asked, smiling gently when Varian nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“Very happy.” Varian choked out. “I’ll come back and visit, I promise.”</p><p> </p><p>“Stay for a bit first?” Quirin asked, the question seeming weird on his tongue. “I miss your stories.”</p><p> </p><p>Varian grinned, nodding.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.” He said with a relieved smile.</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“I think I’m getting restless.” Varian murmured, staring up into the night sky.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo shifted from where he’d been flat on his back, looking over to Varian. The smaller teen didn’t move, looking up into the stars without really seeing anything. Hugo arched a brow, trying to figure out what was going on in Varian’s head, before shrugging and pulling the shorter boy closer.</p><p> </p><p>They were on the roof of the house, lying back against the gentle slope of the shingles. A thick, fluffy blanket was tucked beneath them both, another wrapped around their intertwined lower legs. Hugo was flat on his back, head supported by one of the pillows they’d snuck out, Varian curled up against Hugo’s chest. His small hand was bunched up in Hugo’s loose sleeping shirt, Varian’s head supported by his boyfriend’s arm. Varian stared unflinchingly at the sky, and Hugo could see the stars reflected in those baby blues.</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Hugo said, his hand idly rubbing at Varian’s hip. “We could always go visit Carleone tomorrow, or take a walk in the morning-”</p><p> </p><p>Varian rolled over and groaned into his boyfriend’s shoulder. Hugo felt Varian’s face scrunch up from where the shorter teen had shoved it into Hugo’s chest. Hugo laughed, pulling Varian in that little bit tighter. Ruddiger chittered in complaint at the movement, the raccoon trying to snuggle next to Varian’s hip.</p><p> </p><p>“…Or we could get out of here, go on the road. I hear Pincosta’s <em>lovely</em> this time of year.” Hugo derailed himself, but it was worth it when Varian lifted his head to smile at him.</p><p> </p><p>“Pincosta, huh?” Varian asked in a teasing voice, “Never been. I guess I’d need someone to be my guide- since I don’t know the way, and all.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo laughed,  turning his head so that their foreheads were pressed together. “You know, I think I know a guy.” Hugo said, accepting the casual kiss Varian bestowed upon him for it. They lay there for a while longer, content in the quiet silence. Varian’s pendant was a subtle glow around his neck, just the smallest hint of teal light between the two of them; tiny but constant.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo pressed a kiss to the top of Varian’s forehead, looking deep into those baby blues. The blond smiled in contentment, shifting as Varian snuggled into his chest. Hugo hooked his chin over Varian’s head, the two of them fitting together like two misshapen puzzle pieces. Now this, this was something Hugo could see himself getting used to- the idea of <em>forever </em>was such a tantalizing idea that the blond was already thinking of getting old and grey-</p><p> </p><p>Hugo was struck by a sudden, indescribable bolt of lightning from the very depths of his soul, a sudden flash of clarity that hit him like a train-</p><p> </p><p>He was in love.</p><p> </p><p>They hadn’t mentioned the… well the <em>L Word</em>, so to speak. It was a small thing they’d been dancing around, they’d only been dating for a few months. Hugo wasn’t sure if he was even ready to drop that bomb… or if he ever would be. Hugo did his best not to tense when he felt Varian shift against his chest, the smaller boy drowsily moving.  </p><p> </p><p>“What’re you thinking about?” Varian mumbled next to him, half asleep.</p><p> </p><p>“Just the route to Pincosta, Glowstick, no worries.” Hugo smiled back, content to shove his feelings deep in a locked box and never open it again-</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, okay…” Varian slurred, dipping in and out of sleep. “…Love you.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo felt his heart <em>thump</em>, scrambling to get words past his constricting throat. Hugo felt a wave of relief that Varian had fallen asleep - that way he wouldn’t see Hugo’s tears. He didn’t deserve this, didn’t deserve Varian’s affection, didn’t <em>deserve what the world had given him</em>-</p><p> </p><p>But.</p><p> </p><p>Hugo might not deserve it, but he was a thief by trade, and he was nothing if not <em>greedy</em>. Even if he wasn’t worthy, wasn’t good enough, wasn’t everything Varian deserved- well Hugo was willing to at least <em>try</em> to be someone worth Varian’s time. Something in him bridled with excitement, delighting at the fact that he’d stolen Varian’s heart and had gotten away with it scot-free; it was truly the heist of the century… even if Varian had stolen Hugo’s heart clean from his chest in return. Hugo may not deserve it, but he’d be damned before he denied Varian anything. If Varian wanted Hugo… there he’d be.</p><p> </p><p>Varian snorted loudly in his sleep, nose scrunching up like a kitten’s. Hugo pulled Varian’s sleeping self closer to him with a quiet laugh, nearly wrapping around the smaller boy as he gently squeezed Varian close.</p><p> </p><p>“I… I love you too.” Hugo whispered into the quiet of the evening.</p><p> </p><p>And, for the first time in his life, he meant it.</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>They spent another week at the farm before Varian got too antsy, the complacent farm lifestyle <em>chafing</em>. Hugo had agreed to leaving, still smarting from where Adira had insisted that the blond spar with her one morning- he’d <em>soundly</em> lost, and was still hurting from it. They’d packed the caravan with all the food Quirin could fit in it, the man throwing as many supplies at the two of them until the caravan was stuffed to bursting.</p><p> </p><p>They’d said their goodbyes at the stoop of the front door; Hector and Adira swept Varian up in a hug each, Hector going so far as to swing his laughing nephew a few times as Varian begged for freedom. The group laughed at his plight, but when Varian was set down Adira put a strong hand on his shoulder and shoved a package into his hands. Varian nearly dropped it from the weight, looking up to his aunt with an arched brow.</p><p> </p><p>“I promised, didn’t I?” Was all she said, standing straight and giving him a wink before leaving to follow Hector into the house.</p><p> </p><p>All that was left was Quirin, who Varian nearly jumped at. The boy threw his arms around his father’s neck, sniffling as the man hugged him close. Varian refused to cry, basking in the warmth and safety of his father’s arms, burrowing himself into Quirin’s embrace. The man seemed just as intense, holding Varian firmly but gently, as if he son were made of glass.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll write, right?” Quirin asked, “I want to hear from you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I promise.” Varian nodded, stumbling when Quirin set him down onto the stone stoop.</p><p> </p><p>“Just <em>promise</em> me you’ll be safe.” Quirin mumbled into Varian’s hair before looking up towards the caravan. “And you!” Quirin barked at Hugo, “Keep an eye on my boy! He’s got a habit for trouble.”</p><p> </p><p>Hugo laughed from his place on the caravan, offering the man a thumbs up. Varian got one last hug in before finally turning around and climbing up the caravan. He took his place next to Hugo, settling into his spot on the bench with a grin. Hugo smiled back, tilting Varian’s face for a kiss. They broke it when Quirin made a noise at them, giggling at the look on the man’s face. Hugo gave a click of his tongue, urging Dolos into moving.</p><p> </p><p>The caravan ambled forwards with a gentle lurch, rocking gently as Dolos tugged it along. Varian couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement when he heard the creaking of wooden wheels and the gentle shift of tied down glassware deep inside the caravan. It was like coming home, feeling the lazy movement as he finally began to move forwards once again.</p><p> </p><p>Varian turned and waved one last time, watching his dad wave back before re-entering the house. He sat for a second, grounding himself, before finally unwrapping Adira’s present. He paused, looking down at it with a small amount of shock. In his lap, wrapped in a simple brown paper, lay a sword and scabbard not unlike the ones belonging to his family. Varian looked at it in a daze, slowly taking it in his hand and wrapping a hand around the intricate, black, leather handle.</p><p> </p><p>It popped with a <em>shing</em>, its wielder only drawing it out for a few inches. A blade of black obsidian looked back at him. Varian could see his own reflection in the polished stone, could see the wide grin taking over his face. It was smaller than Adira’s by a long shot, but perfect in its own way; Varian was sure it had been made for him.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, sure <em>he</em> gets a sword.” Hugo griped with put upon expression. Varian giggled, buckling the scabbard to his belt. The weight was solid on his hip, something in the blade calling to him like a siren’s song. It felt like the sword was already a part of him, a connection to his family he could carry with him as he went about the world.</p><p> </p><p>Something about it felt right.</p><p> </p><p>They paused at the threshold to the farm. The wind was soft in the morning air, almost sweet from the pre-fall season. The leaves had only just started to change, bathing the forest in warm reds and oranges, the trees alight in a fire of colour. Varian took a deep breath of fresh air, savoring it as they paused, waiting. Dolos nickered softly, already antsy to get going, but Hugo merely reached down to gently take hold of Varian’s hand with a gentle touch.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, Goggles,” He said, looking at Varian with a grin. “This is your adventure. Where to first?”</p><p> </p><p>Varian thought about it for a second, biting the inside of his cheek. There were so many places he wanted to go, so many sights to see. He wanted to swim in an ocean, climb a cliff so high you’d think there was no peak, cross country to country and back again. He wanted to try new foods, meet new people, experience cultures he’d never thought possible. He wanted to kiss Hugo senseless under a blanket of stars, and draw him closer under the light of the moon.</p><p> </p><p>There were so many places to see, and so much time left to see them. Varian was in no rush, but he wanted to experience it <em>all</em>. He turned slightly, taking one last look back to his childhood farm with a grin, before turning back and looking at Hugo like he’d hung the moon. Varian smiled, something in him excited for the roads to come. Hugo was patiently waiting for his answer; Varian only had one direction he wanted to go.</p><p> </p><p>“Forwards.” Varian finally said, grinning at the thought.</p><p> </p><p>Forwards it was, then.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Holy SHIT it's done!! Hopefully it was worth the read, thank you very much for sticking with me, commenting, kudos-ing, bookmarking, all that good stuff! I really enjoyed making this bad boy, so to know that people liked reading it just as much makes me very happy!! </p><p>Thanks again, fellas, and I'll see you in the next one &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we go lads, I fell RIGHT down that Varigo hole. Shout out to the discord, y'all put up with my shit so often it's impressive! Updates coming every Monday or your money back!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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